Eventide of the Storm
by D3athz-C4lling
Summary: Handed from one keeper to another, Berwald once again finds himself captured when his current detainer gets attacked one day by pirates. He is given a chance to join the marauding crew when he is saved by a masked figure of the group, only known as the Reaper. But as he remains on the ship, Berwald finds himself enslaved on a whole different level. Nordic Ghost Pirate AU. FinSu.
1. Don't Fear the Reaper

**A/N:** The fandom has brought me back from the grave to give you this fanfic! It's really been too long, and I apologize that instead of USUK, I find myself on a totally different ship and not wanting to jump off it anytime soon. FinSu (in that order) is such a rare and precious thing to find and so I decided to try my hand at it as well. It truly has been a long time, however, so I apologize for the writing itself (not that any of it was good at any point anyway).

Although there will be love, Berwald's and Tino's relationship is going to move at a dead snail's pace and so I humbly ask for your patience on that matter simply because of the circumstances of the story.

I also just wanted to make it clear that although the description mentioned "ghost pirates," everyone in this fic is actually alive and **human**...they'll just have ghostly pirate names is all. Their outfits and appearance was based on and inspired by the 2011 Halloween designs and that's the only reason why it was called Nordic Ghost Pirates. Honestly I thought I would never write something pirate-related but here I am and I'm sure at some points there will be jokes, puns, and nautical-nonsense of all kinds here so if you're okay with that I'll be glad. ^^

Because of my lack of originality, each chapter will be titled after a song that relates to the chapter...maybe. It sure did help me when I was writing it so perhaps you'll enjoy it more if you listened to it while reading?

 **Warnings:** Swearing, violence, extravagant fights, blood, nautical-nonsense, pirates and all things pirate-related, mature-themes, AU, human names used, Berwald the one suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, top!Tino and bottom!Berwald (hey that alliterates :D) 100% all the time everytime, and my bad writing as usual.

 **Song Title: (Don't Fear) The Reaper** by **Blue Oyster Cult**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Hetalia, the song title the chapters are associated with, or the songs themselves. Please excuse any errors and inaccuracies of any kind should you come across them and I do apologize for them in advance.

Despite all that I hope you will enjoy! It's going to be a whale of a tale but all the same are ya ready, kids? -shot- Weigh anchor and let's get this ship sailing!

* * *

"Hey Ber, move yer ass and hurry it up with the cargo!" An irate man bellowed at the other. "We haven't got all day, we set sail tonight!"

"Mm." Berwald Oxenstierna simply grunted as he lifted the heavy wooden crate full of supplies into his arms and on board their ship. One after the next, he went to and fro on the boardwalk to load the remaining cargo while his boss merely stood there with his arms crossed, starched dress shirt drenched with sweat and a scowl on his face - wet, fat lips just ready to bark more orders or reprimand him.

The portly man was in a poor mood, more so than usual.

The seagulls hovered above the dock they stood on, their cries mocking as they saw the blond laboring away below them.

This was Berwald's life and all it chalked up to be. Abandoned as a baby, he was dropped off in front of an orphanage one winter's night and raised there for most of his life. It was there that he learned the basic norms and skills needed in order to assimilate into society and become contributing citizens – how to talk, read, cook, sew, and other trade skills.

None of them helped.

Upon coming-of-age, Berwald had no choice but to leave the orphanage, the only place he considered home, and set out to establish a life for himself. The blond didn't know where to start – they didn't prepare him for the world beyond the walls of the orphanage. His speech was awkward at best, as he discovered he was someone of few words. But then again, none of the other children ever really approached him and engaged him in a conversation before. Finding a job became difficult because of his social ineptitude, and he found the door slammed in front of his face before he even got a word out at times.

Was it perhaps the way he looked?

Berwald never knew who his parents were; the only remembrance of them were set in his features – blue-green eyes, blond hair, a square jaw, tall stature, broad shoulders, and a strong back. All of these traits he didn't know from which parent he got them from. There was also his name, the only link to his heritage that might as well end with him. Before when he was younger, Berwald sought after his parents, desperately wanting to be reunited with his family whom he believed simply lost him and loved him. But as the years dragged on and he became wiser, Berwald figured along the way that the reason he even ended up in the orphanage was because his parents didn't want anything to do with him and so gave up the search for them when he was sixteen years old.

With not much to offer, an employer finally took a chance on him, probably desperate himself for someone who would work in this line of business. Just glad to finally be offered his first job, Berwald unsuspectingly took a position working for a brothel. Valued for his size, strength, and apparently intimidating gaze, he became the backstage worker of his boss' operation. He didn't know what he was getting into until he was introduced to his other coworkers – scantily clad females and a few other men on hand for their muscle. The blond had the task of doing various grunt work and watching over the customers in case some of them got out of hand with their "merchandise."

However, just because he was on the sideline keeping watch didn't mean he was safe. Berwald was just as equally on the market as any of the dames displayed in the front. Customers could ask for him as well, and if he knew what was good for him and his career, he would comply. This was exactly what he did, every single time. Just to have a roof over his head, food in his stomach, and a little bit more money in his pockets.

The blond had thought about simply leaving the brothel and shame behind several times, but his keeper made sure that didn't happen. The man put a price on his head – that in order to repay him for all that he has offered the young Swede, Berwald would have to continue working until his debt was paid. Or else, he would report the blond to officials for theft and burglary. So there he stayed and worked, too naïve to know any better, and too afraid to do otherwise. He just gave up at one point and accepted his fate.

However, if there was one thing Berwald always told himself, on days when it was particularly hopeless and he had more than a couple of customers asking for his services, when his muscles ached and he was sore, that he would never let his profession define who he was. Sometimes he would imagine that he could carve out his own future soon enough once he paid off his debt to his employer. He was old enough now. However, until that day came, this was his life and all it has been – all that he could recall in his twenty-six miserable years on this earth.

The blond loaded the last of the packaged items onto their ragged ship, wiping the sweat off his furrowed brows with his forearm. It was midday now, the sun beating down harder on his heated neck and back. He was making good time. Perhaps he could even take a stroll into his hometown one last time before departing from it for gods-knew-how-long.

Recently, the local police have been cracking down on businesses such as his current employer's and are arresting the accomplices. Fearful of such punishments, the brothel keeper hastily bought a ship from a questionable source late one night and ordered everyone to get ready – they were going to be moving their business elsewhere. Exactly where Berwald didn't know; his boss never did like to divulge information to him.

"Is that everything? All right then, we're heading out!" Berwald's employer hollered on the dock.

"What?" The sun didn't even set yet, why were they leaving so soon? Berwald was about to protest when the hefty man continued.

"The sooner we get outta here, the better, so let's go! Or I'll leave yer ass behind!"

Many of the workers herded onto the small boat hurriedly, the women with their long, bright dresses swishing across the wooden plank as the men's boots clomped heavily behind them. The last of them, strangers to Berwald because he has never seen any of them around before until now, took their time walking up to the ship. They were armed with swords and pistols, their disposition cocky and crude – mercenaries his boss probably hired in order to ensure safe travels away from the police.

Berwald was conflicted. This was the perfect time to abandon this life and start anew! Yet, this was the only life he knew…what else could he do with his skill set? Additionally, if the police were to find out what his profession was, he would be worse off! This line of thinking, in addition to the pressure from his keeper in the form of abusive yelling and threats, made his decision clear. His feet led the way onto the battered ship before Berwald knew it.

The sails unfurled, revealing a red-painted mascot of a skull on a beige background. The strangers who boarded along with them took the steering wheel, hoisting the anchor and taking them away from the port and into deeper water.

 _So they're more than just guards…_ Berwald noted.

They were their escorts as well, experienced seamen and perhaps even former pirates. As the ship groaned and creaked along the small waves, slowly cruising along the smooth waters, the sun continued to shine down on them.

The blond decided that he grew tired of the heat, retreating from the deck he was standing on and into the lower compartments and quarters downstairs. Some of the sunlight continued to shine incessantly through slivers of the cracked wooden boards, Berwald still feeling the rocking motion of the boat as they made it out further away from the town and eventually into open water. He heard his boss yelling at some of the crewmen above, his voice shrill as ever, followed by gruff, lazy responses from the mercenaries.

The lower compartment was cramped and smelled of mold and mildew. It crept alongside the corners and edges of the ship, extending its black and green tendrils to the floor in some areas. The air was stifling with too many bodies and from the lack of windows. The space was small, Berwald's head nearly touching the ceiling of the lower deck as he tried to find a spot to seat himself. All around him, female coworkers and mercenaries flirted with each other, their bodies close despite the smoldering heat. The women were whispering sweet nothings into the gruff men's ears, playfully swaying their hips, their dresses flowing this way and that to the motion.

"Ya know, they say it's bad luck to bring women on board a ship," One of the older men teased, eyeing a brunette who was sitting close to Berwald on one of the wooden supply crates.

"Oh dear me, whatever will I do?" She batted her thick eyelashes. "Is there something you can do? Can you protect me from this hex?"

Berwald did not understand the point of this seduction, unless his coworkers were trying to squeeze some extra coins out from these mercenaries along with their service. The humidity and atmosphere became unbearable, and the tall blond got up with a silent sigh just as his brunette coworker was straddling the shaggy man's hips, grinding playfully and lips kissing his stubby chin.

It was back to the deck for him. Resigning to bake under the sun, Berwald did his best to stay within the pillar of shadow provided by the large mast in the center of the ship.

The air outside was not that much better. It was rather still, the beige sails hardly catching any of it as it drifted slowly across the ocean's waters.

The town Berwald called home was nothing but a thin crust lying on top of the ocean's horizon behind them. The seagulls have gone and left him alone now. He didn't know how to feel about this whole departure…not that it mattered in the slightest. His life was not his own. The Swede spent the majority of the trip leaning against the wooden and termite-eaten mast, his own thoughts keeping him company, dreaming of a different life that could have been if he had stayed behind and ran away. The possibilities seemed endless as the cloudless blue sky above him. But it was too late for that now. A feeling almost like regret weaved its way into Berwald's heart just then, festering until he was snapped out of his reverie by that sharp, shrill voice.

"What the hell is that?!" The brothel keeper demanded of the man behind the steering wheel, pointing a pudgy finger toward something breaking through the horizon ahead of them. "Is it the marines after me?"

"Aw quit yer bitchin'!" The lanky man quipped. "We ain't the only ones sailin' these seas, ya know? Probably just another ship passin' by,"

Another mercenary got to work and pulled a small telescope from his pocket to inspect the incoming party. They were sailing at a racing pace right towards their ship. Even with his experience, it was hard to discern exactly if this vessel was a threat or not. The ship was much too grand for a pirate ship, but the way in which it carried itself on the sea begged to differ.

"Well?!"

"Hmm,"

"Give me that!" A quirky, nervous man ran up to them, ripping the telescope from the other mercenary's hand and taking a look for himself. "Pirates…" he growled.

Berwald jolted from his spot at this. He was already near the edge of the boat, trying to see for himself what the commotion was all about. But with his limited vision, all he could see was a large, blurry mass with white sails.

"What? How do you know?" The one steering asked.

The other man's voice then went shrill and he dropped the thin brass telescope from his gaunt hands as he shrieked "It's them! The Draugen!"

"What?!" The other two mercenaries and Berwald's boss said at the same time.

"Ah don't be jokin' about that at a time like this!" The mercenary who got his telescope stolen chastised.

"Who are these pirates exactly?" Berwald's boss was as clueless as he was about the identity of these marauders.

"It's them all right! Quick, we better surrender quietly while we still can," the nervous wreck of a mercenary pleaded.

"Whaat?!" The one steering the ship sneered at the cowering man. "Ya can't possibly tell me to do that now! Besides, they could just be impersonators; we'll look like fools if we turn tail and run,"

"I didn't pay you imbeciles to surrender; I paid you to escort me! Now tell me exactly who these pirates are!"

"No, no, no! It's the one," His one good eye wild, the scrawny mercenary came up to Berwald, clasping him by the shoulders with those skeletal fingers as if the blond was the only reasonable one left on the ship. The smaller man shook him, trying to make him understand as he yelled hysterically "They're coming! The Reaper is coming! He'll kill us, he'll kill us all!"

"Keep it together!" One of them barked. "And you call yourself a former pirate, how embarrassing!"

"That's why! I recognize that figurehead anywhere! Ya gotta believe me when I say we don't stand a chance against them!" He continued to clutch onto Berwald for dear life. "Against _him_ ,"

But despite his ravings, the others only grimaced and readied themselves for battle. Drawing his pistol from the sash around his waist, the mercenary behind the steering wheel approached Berwald's employer and said "Get the other men up here. You and your workers stay down in the lower deck."

"You'd better take care of this properly! Or none of you will get a cent out of me," The stout man had the gall to shout before doing as he was told and disappearing down the stairs connecting the two levels of the ship.

"Right…"

The other workers did the same and went after their boss.

Berwald followed suit, but not before catching one last glimpse at their impending danger. The massive ship was nearly upon them, and from where he was standing he could see a couple of the pirates with their weapons flashing in the sunlight, growing rowdy. Frantic yelling was heard behind him as the manic ex-pirate, seeing as there was no hope left for them, threw himself overboard the decrepit ship and fell into the blue water, disappearing from his view. It perturbed him how dramatically the other reacted. Was this threat really that great? Did they really stand no chance against this band of pirates? The Swede didn't know any better, however, as he never traveled anywhere beyond the town's borders in order to fulfill his duties.

When he was descending the wooden stairs, clamor roared within the lower deck, mercenaries stomping out in the opposite direction from deep within the boat and pushing the Swede aside in the process. They were raring to go, craving the excitement that only arose from battle, their weapons drawn. Some wore crazed smiles while others a more morbid expression.

Some of Berwald's male coworkers felt compelled to join in as well, grabbing a makeshift weapon and heading on out to the deck. The blond himself didn't feel combative, choosing to stay with the others should something happen. He didn't want to get involved in any of this. They all made a disapproving face at him as they passed him by, who, despite his stature and nature of his primary job, refused to go out with them, finding refuge next to a crate full of clothing. He didn't pay them too much mind as he joined his female coworkers, now shivering from fear. Their hooded eyes were now wide with terror and trepidation as they could only crane their necks up to the ceiling, hearing the barking and cursing of the mercenaries through the floorboards. His employer was even further back from where he was sitting, a shiny pistol in his stubby hand.

It all felt so surreal to Berwald, and he found himself unusually calm despite the fact that in just a few minutes, a battle would be raging above him. His very life could be in danger. The exciting feeling was foreign to him, and his mind just couldn't register it all at the moment. This was only supposed to happen in tales that seafarers at the brothel told when they came to visit. The romanticism was what they emphasized in these stories of fighting valiantly against the savage pirates, easily slaying them with a single slash of their sword and returning to shore with a girl in their arms. In many cases, it was one of Berwald's coworkers…or Berwald himself depending on what the patron fancied. He couldn't tell sometimes.

"We're being boarded!"

The wood surrounding them suddenly groaned and splintered. A great force and crash threw Berwald and the other passengers on the ship back as the old vessel was rammed from the front by the much larger ship. Battle cries rose from above followed by heavy footsteps and the sounds of swords being unsheathed. It all sounded like it was coming from the mercenaries.

 _What about the pirates?_

The other party was uncharacteristically quiet.

But the battle was far from romantic and very one-sided as Berwald soon found out.

 **Bang!**

A blood-curdling scream tore through the air followed by several more and the heavy thuds of bodies hitting the floor right above them - bodies of the mercenaries who were supposed to escort them. Their blood was beginning to seep through the thin wooden planks of the ceiling, collecting and dripping onto some of the cargo and passengers' faces.

Many of the females and Berwald's boss began screaming as well.

"You bastard gaahhh-!" Another one fell dead, his blood slipping through a crack that once filtered sunlight and onto the shoulder of the Swede's cotton shirt.

Cannon fire was soon heard, the huge explosion making impact against the hull and sides of the ship, drilling holes into the walls.

The smell of gunpowder, blood, sweat, and guts was making Berwald sick. The ship continued to groan as it grazed against the other, the two vessels nearly parallel to each other now. They vigorously rocked against each other, tossing the blond back and forth, the stacked cargo toppling over and spilling its contents onto the floor.

"Where do think you're all going? Get back here this instant!" The boss barked.

Many of the women could no longer stand the abuse and began rushing out of the lower deck, yelling for help. Their pretty dresses were soon splattered with blood of the fallen and spilt wine. None of the mercenaries paid them any mind, preoccupied with the forces invading the ship. Feeling like it was his responsibility to watch over them, Berwald suddenly sprang to his feet, following their lead and heading up the stairs to the deck where only carnage greeted him. The mercenaries seemed focused on the front of the ship, crowding around the area where the battle was at its thickest. Bodies of the deceased littered the small deck, some on top of each other, their eyes wide and clouded over, staring at the sunny sky above. His own cyan eyes caught sight of a small fishing boat attached alongside the main ship.

"This way!" He grunted, motioning for his coworkers to board the small vessel.

Already cowed from what was going on around them, the women quietly followed Berwald's orders, getting onto the boat still suspended by ropes.

"Eh look, they're gettin' away!" One of the pirates took note, charging towards the hapless targets. He was able to get ahold of one of them, the brunette from before. "And where d'ya think yer going, my pretty?"

"Ah! Ber!"

True to his job, the tall Swede stood between the pirate and his coworkers. With a left hook, he knocked the pirate out cold. The cutlass held by the other clattered onto the wooden boards while his grip loosened around the woman.

She ran to join her friends on the cramped boat.

Swiftly grabbing the weapon, Berwald proceeded to cut the ropes trapping the fishing boat now at capacity, doing his best to lower it with the remaining ropes as gently as possible onto the water below in order to ensure that the women were able to escape. None of them so much as turned around to thank the blond before they frantically paddled with their arms back to shore. Honestly, Berwald wanted to use this chaos as a chance to escape as well and was about to jump and swim towards the smaller boat when he felt something cold pressed up against the back of his skull.

"You traitorous lout!" His employer spat, gun pointed at the Swede's head and ready to fire if he didn't comply. "Setting my merchandise free like that? Are you out of your mind? Drop the sword!"

Upon command, Berwald did as he was told and released his grip on the cutlass, his hands up in a surrendering manner. The sudden rush he was feeling as he fended off the pirate suddenly left him, leaving him drained and not in the mood to argue. His body ran cold at the realization that his employer turned on him, ready to end his life if necessary.

 _What was I thinking, doing something like that?!_

He wasn't thinking to be honest. His body acted and responded on its own from all the mayhem surrounding the ship. He felt a hand twist his right arm behind him, holding him in front of his boss as the portly man pushed him back down the stairs where the cargo was held.

"Yer comin' with me, Ber! If those savages overrun this damn ship, you'll be my human shield. At least do your job right,"

They arrived as far back on the ship as possible, Berwald held up and gun still pressed to his head as they waited for the fight to come to them. Some mercenaries were still struggling above, the sound of gunshots ringing in their ears, but it was less manic than before. Their numbers were dwindling. They were going to lose. As it raged, Berwald and his boss stood there with bated breath, waiting for when the first pirate would enter through the staircase. They almost missed him.

The man was as silent as a cemetery, his footsteps light as he made his way down the old wooden steps to where the passengers were. The two only knew of his approach because of his figure in the entryway. He was alone, the commotion above them as present as always. His face was hidden behind a mask in the shape of a skull, eye sockets black but boring into the two men's souls as he turned to face them in the back.

"Don't come any closer, you freak!" The brothel keeper threatened, holding the taller blond upright to cover his entire stout body.

The Swede struggled a bit, only to be reminded of the cold metal against his head and what it entailed. He could only twist back to the front where the pirate continued to make his way towards them at an even pace. It didn't matter what he did now, either shot from behind or in front, the situation was hopeless and he knew it. And yet…he didn't want to give up! His breathing quickened as he glared at the approaching figure with livid cyan eyes.

The pirate kept the two flintlock pistols in his hands poised, ready to fire. The man made no verbal reply, unfazed. The skull's expression remained blank, terrifying, and hollowly staring back at them, its jaws partly opened.

"I'll shoot! I'll kill you where you stand, damn pirate!" By now the brothel keeper averted the direction in which he pointed his gun, away from Berwald and toward the marauder instead. He held Berwald securely in front of him by the bent arm. He would be able to shoot and not get hit in return like this. There was nothing to worry about - he had the ultimate defense. The pirate didn't have a chance!

At this the masked man stopped when he was only a few feet away from the two. "…"

No one spoke for the longest time, the screams outside the only sound heard.

Then the pirate raised one of his pistols at the two.

 _I don't want to die!_

 **Bang!**

The sound resonated within the small space of the lower deck.

Berwald's boss clearly wasn't familiar with using the firearm, for when he pulled the trigger and fired, the nose of the gun was deathly close to Berwald's shoulder, the bullet whipping past him and grazing the skin there before making its way to the pirate.

The searing pain caused Berwald to screw his eyes shut for a moment, but he chose to keep them closed when he knew the other would fire back in retaliation. He was bracing for the pain and the bullet that would end his life, but then a sound compelled him to open his eyes.

A small grunt was heard coming from the intruder and he took a step back. He never pulled the trigger on his own white flintlock pistol. The bullet fired by Berwald's boss landed slightly on its target, breaking off a piece of the white mask, revealing a sliver of the face behind it.

Berwald found himself staring into the eye of his marauder. The mask broken on the upper left side revealed porcelain skin and a bit of platinum blond hair, but the feature that captivated the Swede the most was the amethyst eye looking back at him. It reflected tranquility, his brow not even furrowed one bit.

"Please don't move." The pirate requested as he continued to lock eyes with Berwald, standing straight again after the initial shot of the firearm.

Berwald just knew the request was addressed to him and complied. He couldn't stop gazing into that violet orb. Anxiously, he waited for the other's next move.

"Ha! You're one to talk!" The brothel keeper piped up from behind his human shield. He raised the pistol again, taking aim. "What are ya gonna do about it?"

The pirate said nothing as he raised his white pistol in his right hand once more.

In a flurry, Berwald's boss emptied out the last of the pistol's four rounds at the man. But this time, each one of the shots missed.

Like a wraith, the pirate silently moved to and fro, deftly dodging the bullets in small, graceful movements. He kept his distance.

"Why you-!" The portly man started to panic, forcing Berwald to follow him as he shifted his body along the walls of the ship, closer to the stairwell to run outside.

But the Swede stood his ground, his stance wide and planting his feet firmly on the wooden floorboards, stiff as a mountain and unmoving. He continued to stare at the figure in front of him.

The pirate shifted a little bit at an angle, his pistol poised.

 _Is he going to shoot me anyway?_

"What are you doing, Ber?! Move yer-!"

 **Bang!**

It only took one shot.

The Swede immediately felt the grip around his wrist slack, followed by a heavy body slumping against him. He didn't feel anything rip through him.

The wooden pistol fell with a clack from the dead employer's hand.

 _But…how…?_

Berwald fell to the floor on his hands and knees from the weight of his former manager, flabbergasted that nowhere new was bleeding. The bullet should have gone right through him in order to get to his boss! He couldn't help turning around to see the dead man's corpse that laid next to a crate tipped over and filled with fruits.

The bullet struck him behind his neck, right at the base of his skull between the folds of fat there. The collar of his starched dress shirt was beginning to soak up the blood seeping from the wound, spreading out into a huge blotch down his back. Sheer horror etched across his paling, puffy face, his eyes were wide open and clouding over as death took him.

Berwald looked up from the body for a moment and saw the wall behind them. A steel frame embedded within the wooden wall looked bent out of shape, a small dent blemishing its already rusty edges.

The pirate had deliberately missed Berwald and his boss upon initially aiming, instead shooting behind them at a wide angle in order to have the bullet ricochet off the steel frame to hit the stouter man behind his back, completely circumventing Berwald altogether.

Soft footsteps snapped Berwald out of his internal investigation and awe.

 _He's after me next!_

He whipped his head back toward the source of the noise to find the man getting closer. Still on the ground, he glared up and into that violet eye once more, daring the masked man to come closer. Cyan eyes ablaze and teeth bared, he was ready to strike if he had to. He was not going to go down without a fight! Even though the pirate just "saved" him, who's to say that the Swede wasn't his next target?

But the pirate did no such thing.

The platinum blond instead put away his pistols, stepping over some blankets carefully and approached Berwald, offering him a hand when he got close enough to the kneeling man. "You're hurt. You can come with me and we can patch you up; or you can stay here and let death take you." The man eyed Berwald's right shoulder, the wound there still open and blood spiraling down to his forearm. His voice was gruff and hollow behind the mask.

At that moment, Berwald thought he was already staring at death in the face.

* * *

 **Endnotes:** Just in case if it still seems confusing, Tino is indeed the masked man they call the "Reaper" and the "Draugen" is the name of the ship. I thought Tino's pirate name was very fitting and may have been watching someone play Overwatch at the time...-shifty eyes-

I also found writing a fic starring Berwald was no easy task because the guy hardly talks...how is anything supposed to be set in motion like that? XO It was a challenge but I made do...maybe...I've never really written anything Nordic related before so I hope I haven't botched anything up yet (probably too late and I already did).

Also, I have an Archive of Our Own account now with the same name (just replace the hyphen in the middle of the name with an underscore) and I should be there. I haven't done anything with it yet or transferred any stories over, but should something happen know that there is another place to find me!

Thank you for reading this far and I hope to see you again in the next chapter!


	2. Wildcard

**A/N:** Thank you all so much for the love and support! Honestly I thought this story would never see the light of day, and let's not even mention reviews or faves, so imagine how surprised I was to see your lovely comments in my inbox and to know that there are others out there who are interested in a FinSu story :) Truly, thank you all so much...I had forgotten how fun and exciting it is to write again!

You also may have noticed this already, but I d'n't m'ke Berwald t'lk l'ke th's because that will drive me insane and the meaning of his words lost at some points; so, if anything his manner of speech is just more informal and curt. Now without further ado, please enjoy this next chapter~

 **Song Title: Wildcard** by **KSHMR ft. Sidnie Tipton**

* * *

Now that the moment has passed and the figure was right in front of him, the Swede had a chance to take a better look at his marauder.

Aside from the white skull mask on his face, the pirate's whole ensemble had a morbid undertone to it. Starting from the top, his black buccaneer hat had a tuff of white feathers protruding from the left side that swished eerily slowly whenever the man moved his head. He donned an equally black long coat that nearly touched the floor, the ends and hems of the coat frayed and tattered, dyed an off-color from the pitch blackness by something Berwald didn't know. A short beige scarf hung around his neck and ended at his chest, the tail tattered as well. His undershirt was also a simple beige color and a brown leather belt was secured around his waist, a thin gold chain dangling along his left hip. His trousers were rather unique, black and tan stripes running vertically down his legs that nicely matched his tan lace-up boots. From a certain angle, the jaw of the skull mask curved upward, as if grinning down at him.

He looked like death himself.

The white gloved hand was still being offered to Berwald.

"…" The Swede continued to gawk at the man and took too long to reach out to the other, the pirate righting himself up and turning to leave.

"If you want, you can follow me until we are off the ship. What you do next is up to you," the man said without turning his head back. He quietly began weaving his way through the abandoned supplies and crates.

For some reason, Berwald didn't want to get left behind. Everything and everyone he knew were dashed in one afternoon's event. He didn't feel safe here, uncomfortable being next to the body of his late employer who was quickly beginning to smell of decay in the humid space. With one last look at the body and the bullet holes riddled across the floorboards, he rose to his feet and followed the other male as noiselessly as possible, trying not to make it obvious that he was accepting the pirate's help.

At his full height, Berwald was taller than the pirate - a little less than a head higher. But he hardly saw that as an advantage here. As he walked, he looked at the other's back and noticed that he didn't have a scratch on him. There were no signs of fresh cuts, scrapes, or bullet wounds…he was completely untouched.

The silence between them was tense and awkward until they were near the stairwell. The pirate slowed in his steps and raised a hand up, saying "Please stop here."

Berwald, who kept a safe distance from the man, stopped mid-stride, his expression incredulous.

The platinum blond carefully made his way to a closed door to the right of the staircase. It was used as a small storage area. He stilled and hovered over the spot for a moment. With speed and precision, he pulled out one of his pistols from its holster and shot at a peculiar spot on the door.

A wet thud was heard on the other side.

The pirate then turned the handle of the doorknob and opened the wooden door, the body of one of the mercenaries falling out from it.

Berwald suppressed a strangled cry of shock in his throat, his body going numb.

 _How did he know…?_

It was the shaggy man from before who flirted with his coworker. The bullet went right through the door and landed between his eyes, the blood now trickling down his cold face and matting in his stubby chin. He did not even have the chance to draw his own pistol.

Perhaps what the man said before was true and that they were all cursed the moment they stepped foot on board this ship.

"It's all right now," The pirate assured him while he put away his pistol and continued on up the stairs. As he turned, the tattered ends of his black long coat swept across the face of the lifeless mercenary, lapping up some of the blood there with its fabric.

Silently, Berwald was in a mental battle with himself, trying to decide what his next course of action should be once he ascended the stairs. He had nowhere else to go now, yet he wasn't about to trust his life to a pirate whom he just met. There had to be somewhere else to go, something else to do after all this! There must be another option for him. Something…anything that would turn all the misery of today into an opportunity.

 _Is he going to kill me next? What should I do?_

The Swede found himself on the deck once again.

It was eerily quiet. The number of bodies increased from the last time he was up here, the floor dark with their blood. The crimson liquid squished underneath their boots and shoes as they made their way toward the plank. Some mercenaries were being carried onto the pirate ship, hands bound and faces ashen. Some of the pirate members were hauling crates Berwald previously loaded with valuables and the brothel keeper's gold onto the vessel as well. The raided ship was in shambles and was slowly but surely sinking from the battering and cannon fire it sustained. The main sail, with its red skull insignia, was sliced and torn in various areas. The pirates did their job thoroughly.

Without even realizing it, Berwald continued to follow the man to his ship, taking in the scene as he walked on the large plank connecting the two vessels. He then found himself in front of the other members of the pirate crew. There were three of them, all standing tall. He halted, still on the wooden board and not quite crossing over to the pirate ship's deck, the waves crashing below him. It became obvious rather quickly who the captain of the ship was – and to Berwald's dismay, it wasn't the man who was leading him.

No, this man had a haughty air about him. Like the pirate who brought him here, this man wore a black hat with the edge rimmed in gold and a tuff of white feathers hanging on the left side. The blond's hair was spiked and a black eye patch covered his right eye, leaving him with only one sky blue orb shining brightly in the sunlight. His long coat was black on the outside, but on the inside, it was vertically striped red and blue. Berwald could see the pattern on the lapels and collar of his coat and the rolled-up sleeves around his wrists. Gold jewelry adorned his neck and across his chest, and similarly to the other pirate, this one wore a beige undershirt. However, his gloves were black instead of white and he wore a simple gold sash around his waist that led to tan trousers and brown knee-high boots with their straps undone.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" The captain, the tallest man in the center brashly and boisterously chirped, mouth twisted in a smirk.

Berwald's "savior" turned his head slightly and gave the Swede a sidelong glance with his visible violet eye before answering on his behalf. "He was being held hostage. I was hoping we could tend to his wounds before sending him off,"

The blond captain snorted. "He certainly doesn't look like it. Ya sure he ain't one of them?" He gestured toward Berwald and his large stature and intimidating stare.

By now, the smaller male went up onto the deck of the ship, standing to the right of the captain and facing the Swede.

Berwald couldn't tell what the masked man was thinking behind that violet eye.

"Yes."

"If ya say so, Reaper,"

 _Reaper?_

The name sounded familiar, fresh in Berwald's memories.

 _That mercenary mentioned it before he…don't tell me_ he's _that man!_ He eyed said pirate warily.

The blond captain stepped onto the wooden plank, greeting Berwald and snapping him out of his thoughts. He may be taller than the other three here, but Berwald had him beat, even if it was by a margin. "I'm the North Sea King, captain of the Draugen," He started with vigor, as if rehearsing his lines many times before. His one blue eye twinkled mischievously as he looked the Swede up and down. Upon closer inspection, the eye patch had a white skull and crossbones design on it. "But ya can just call me 'captain' if ya want," he smiled broadly.

Berwald returned the smile with a stoic if not naturally menacing look – he didn't find any reason to be smiling about anything at the moment. The other's suggestive gaze was making him tense – it was the one he was all too familiar with at the brothel, but couldn't quite shake off or get used to when it was directed at him.

It didn't seem to faze the captain, however. "Ohh, scary," he cooed. "What a fine catch, Reaper," He turned to the masked man in the black long coat, winking at him.

"…" the Reaper did not respond to the supposed compliment.

The captain then returned his attention to the Swede, gold chains clinking from the motion. "So tell me, stranger, what's yer name?"

This was something the Reaper couldn't answer for him, and so he had no choice but to open his mouth and say "Berwald Oxenstierna."

The North Sea King smiled cheekily when he heard the answer in the form of a low, deep voice. "Well nice ta meet ya, Ber!" He dared to step closer to the taller blond, face inches away.

He didn't like how the other was already addressing him so casually.

"And how old are ya?"

"Twenty-six." Berwald kept his answers short and concise. He didn't like how close the other was getting to him, but he refused to take a step back, lest he took a misstep and landed himself in the waters below.

The captain was getting a thrill out of how compliant this man was being. "Hey Reaper, did ya hear that? He's just about yer age!" He yelled back to the three on the ship, surprised that this bear of a man was still so young. It made him smile wider.

The aforementioned male simply nodded curtly and said "So it would seem."

Only now Berwald noticed that the other's voice was light but still hollow now that he heard it without the screaming and ringing gunshots in the background.

"And what was yer profession before becomin' a hostage?" The captain kept barraging Berwald with questions.

This one he was hesitant to answer. He opened his mouth a bit, but then closed it again. His mouth suddenly felt very dry because no matter how many times he tried to accept it, Berwald could never fully embrace his profession. He wanted to lie, but found it hard to do so when so many pairs of eyes were on him. He hated the attention – it was making him nervous. "I was a laborer," He kept it vague, trying to make his job sound as professional as possible.

"Really? Where?"

"At a brothel," he spat out.

 _Gods, why does he want to know so badly?!_

The last bit of information clearly fascinated the North Sea King and definitely satisfied his curiosity. The cheeky grin he had on never fell and only grew wider as he casually looped an arm around Berwald's shoulders, careful of the wound there, and led him up the rest of the way towards his ship.

Behind them, like a dying beast, the ship Berwald originally boarded groaned loudly, lying on its side as water began to fill its hull and innards. It sank lower and lower into the ocean's depths, taking with it the bodies of the dead. Berwald could only see the sail's mascot one last time before that disappeared as well into the deep.

"Well all right Ber, welcome aboard the Draugen!" The captain made a large sweeping motion with his other arm to the large ship in front of them.

It was a grand ship, nearly regal in appearance. Four massive sails supported it, and he didn't know when it changed, but they were no longer white. The main sail hailed a symbol of a black sea serpent in front of a dark red and white striped background. The wood the vessel was made out of was a deep, rich oak. And in the front was the figurehead – a leviathan with its jaw wide open, revealing thin, sharp teeth and a forked tongue. Large frills splayed on the sides of its head, its scaly, serpentine body coiling amongst itself and down to the bottom of the ship's hull.

As soon as the newly boarded men stepped onto the deck, the wooden plank was pulled back in and the two passed by the other crew members.

"As captain, I'll take it from here," the North Sea King announced, pulling Berwald alongside him. "Nyk!" he hollered.

"I'm right here," an aloof voice floated through. It was one of the pirates who observed the Swede not so long ago, the one to the left of the captain who stood straight and his eyes dull. He appeared next to the captain. "You don't need to yell,"

The taller blond ignored the other's comment. "Say, can ya help poor Ber here to the doc and get him patched up?"

"Hmm," The stoic pirate agreed solemnly, looking up to Berwald and motioning with his head in a certain direction on the ship. "This way,"

Before the Swede turned to follow the mysterious man, he took one last look at the captain and platinum blond left behind.

* * *

The Reaper was silently watching over the two retreating figures when he felt a hand on his shoulder pulling him to the side.

"You and I need ta talk," the captain said to him.

"Yes, of course,"

The two then went in the opposite direction of Berwald and Nyk, towards the captain's cabin.

The North Sea King made himself comfortable on his luxurious leather chair, kicking his boots up onto the mahogany desk as he asked "Did you find the thief?"

"…No, he was not on the ship," the smaller man admitted. "None of the crew members looked familiar,"

"How can that be?!" The captain ran a hand through his spiked blond hair. "We were chasin' the right ship, right?"

"Yes," the Reaper simply stated.

"Ya surprised me back there when ya brought me back that man alive. But it wasn't a bad thing…You sure ya just didn't look hard enough?"

"Yes."

"I don't get it!"

"Perhaps," a third voice joined in. It was Nyk; he had finished escorting the newcomer to their doctor. "We were chasing the right ship, but its ownership has already been passed on,"

"What d'ya mean?"

The calm blond turned to the Reaper. "You mentioned that you didn't recognize any of the crewmen there?"

"That is correct; most of them looked like men-for-hire."

"Hmm, these fellows probably bought the ship not knowing its former owner. Our target must have ran inland and sold his ship," he deducted.

"Ya don't say? Those rats!" The captain thundered, frustrated that they lost track of their prey.

"Not all is lost," Nyk offered. "There is a port and town not far in the direction the ship was coming from. They couldn't have gotten far; we should dock there and search."

"All right!" The North Sea King shouted joyously. "Nyk, set a course for that port right now, tell our brother I want full sails. I want our hunt to start when the sun sets!"

"Understood." The man then excused himself from the captain's cabin, but not before muttering "Always so loud…"

The owner of the room then turned to the remaining person standing at attention, his one good eye peering at him expectantly. "As for you, Reaper, get some rest while ya still can. Yer job's not done yet,"

"Yes, captain," he said before slinking away.

"Oh, and Reaper? Ya should get yer mask fixed while yer at it," he teased, staring into the other's violet eye.

"Of course."

The blond captain smirked at the other's retreating back. While his subordinate was doing that, the North Sea King could take a better look at today's "catch."

* * *

The alcohol stung, as if Berwald's very skin was being set on fire. He tried to remain still, but his grimace and twitching muscles told the doctor everything he needed to know.

"It hurts, I know. I apologize," The blond, who introduced himself as Ludwig Beilschmidt, said in a Germanic accent. When he deemed that the wound was disinfected well enough and the blood completely cleaned off, he set to covering it with layers of gauze. "There, all set."

"Mm. Thank ya," Berwald removed his arm from the long wooden table that served as the platform for Ludwig's operations. He rolled back down the sleeve of his linen undershirt. It didn't cover the gauze there very effectively, seeing as though the sleeve itself was tattered from the gunfire. The wound on his shoulder still smart, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. It sure beat a bullet through his head or neck.

"You're welcome, Oxenstierna." The man liked to address him formally.

"Ya can just call me Berwald," he insisted. Being called by his last name sounded so foreign to the Swede…too professional and important, of which he felt like neither.

"Very well, Berwald," Ludwig corrected himself. "If you don't mind me asking, who brought you on board? Was it Nyk?" He asked briefly while cleaning his tools and wiping down the table to rid it of blood stains.

The taller blond shook his head. "The masked man," he answered vaguely, shifting in his chair a bit. For some reason he was hesitant to say the name.

At this the doctor stilled in his vigorous scrubbing and looked up. "Reaper?" His keen blue eyes peered into the Swede's face as if trying to discern the truth in those words. When he found him to be sincere, he continued "I suppose that comes as no surprise. You're in good hands then,"

Berwald did not quite understand what that meant. He felt there was no significance in who it was that took him. Plus, he didn't believe nor felt safer in this fact, seeing as though he hasn't seen his "savior" since. Either way, he was now without a job and means to go back home.

The door to the doctor's infirmary opened then to reveal the captain of the ship. "And how is our guest doin'?" he grinned at the two.

"I just finished tending to his wound," Ludwig reported. He has done his job and felt that the captain wanted to have a word with the patient, so he led himself out of the room. He didn't know that his action made the Swede feel uneasy and betrayed.

"Great!" The captain waltzed nonchalantly towards the blond, the heavy gold jewelry clinking as he walked. "Feelin' better now, big guy?"

Berwald nodded his head. "Ya, thanks." He thought he should at least have the courtesy to thank the one who helped him…even if it was a little and despite the fact that the captain was a bit too arrogant and invasive for his liking.

The North Sea King leaned down and eyed the other's shoulder. "Of course, only the best for our guest!" He then asked "And how much do ya think our service was worth?"

"What?"

The captain's left blue eye twinkled mischievously as he explained "Ya know, we saved yer life back there and even patched ya up! How much do ya think that all costs?" he smirked. "How much do ya think yer life's worth, Ber?"

"…I don't have any money," Berwald confessed. All that he earned and his meager possessions were stored away in one of the crates he loaded onto the ship when they left the town – the very same crate that the pirates ended up stealing. They have already taken everything from him.

But apparently, this was just the answer the captain was expecting as he beamed brightly. "Aw no worries, mate! Tell ya what, why don't you come work for us fer a while until ya can pay off yer debt?"

"…" The captain's offer did not sound enticing at all. He was just being handed over from one keeper to another. He felt tricked by the pirate's false kindness.

"So what d'ya say? Wanna become a pirate?"

"How long do I hafta stay?" How much longer did he have to wait until he became a free man?

The captain grinned when he saw that the other was genuinely considering it. He wouldn't have it any other way, after all. "Until ya paid yer dues. Let's see, I'll set the price at five hundred gold coins. Don't cha worry, you'll be paid for yer work - I'm generous like that! And who knows," He stood up tall and looked straight into Berwald's cyan eyes with his sky blue one, the grin twisting into a smirk. "Maybe ya just might like it here,"

"And if I say no?" Berwald felt defiant under the captain's haughty gaze.

The captain also had a reply for that, his smile a bit crooked and toothy at this point. "Aww don't think like that, Ber," he purred. The black long coat swished a bit as the man bent over to Berwald's eye level once more, a black gloved hand cupping one side of the Swede's face almost endearingly.

It took all of Berwald's strength to resist hitting the blond in front of him. He knew it wasn't worth it and that he was on the other's terrain now, completely at a disadvantage. He could only scowl.

The North Sea King took this as a sign to continue, his hand still on that stern face. "If you decline my generous offer, I'll simply have to take the only thing you have left – your life." There was a menacing glint in that blue eye, something akin to madness. His voice was low and dark then. "And if you try to run away, I'll find you. I'll make you regret trying to leave me without paying first," He retracted his hand, the captain suddenly returning to his boisterous disposition. "So don't ya try pullin' a fast one on me, okay?" he winked.

"..." It took a moment for Berwald to register what was just said to him. Terror gripped him, its tendrils seizing his heart and limbs as he continued to stare into that blue eye. The mania left it, but the Swede felt it for a moment - the urge to kill. The captain would do it - he really wouldn't hesitate to kill him. He almost _wanted_ to kill him if given the chance.

Said pirate was still waiting for a response.

Berwald knew he had no choice and accepted his miserable fate once again. "Fine...I'll work fer ya," He continued to scowl at the man, but his voice sounded dejected…defeated. He no longer cared how annoying, loud, or cocky the other was being right now.

This earned him a pat on the shoulder and grin from the captain. "Glad ta hear it, Ber! I just knew you'd see things my way, welcome aboard!"

* * *

Upon agreeing to join the pirate crew and work for them under duress, Berwald was given a quick tour of the ship by the same man who had brought him to the doctor. Now that he had the chance to really look at the ship, he realized just how massive it was compared to the shoddy boat he was on a few hours ago. He was shown the deck and lookout, and while he was out there the blond noticed that the mass of land he left behind was getting closer. They were heading into town.

"Let's get going, shall we?" The one they called Nyk encouraged them to move along in the tour. They headed down to the second floor of the ship where one of the doors led to Ludwig's infirmary and then the third floor. Everything was so spacious, the ship having the capacity to hold several rooms for different purposes and windows here and there to offer a nice view of the ocean below them. As they were making their way past the artillery gallery, the man said "I do apologize if Mathias was too loud earlier today," he let slip the captain's real name. "He is an idiot sometimes,"

Berwald grunted to let the other know that he was listening. Whether or not he forgave the captain was a different story. At least this man was sensible and well-mannered. He let his curiosity get the better of him and asked to confirm "The captain's name is Mathias?"

At this the other gave him a sidelong glance with his dull navy blue eyes. "Yes, Mathias Kohler. Although, I don't recommend you address him as such,"

"And what about you? Can I ask for yer name?"

The man chuckled a bit at the question. "You are a strange one, aren't you? Given your situation, a name takes priority in your inquiries?"

The Swede averted his eyes from that soul-piercing gaze and just shrugged. He didn't want to think about all the other questions swarming his mind right now like angry wasps.

"My name is Lukas Kohler," the shorter blond humored him. "Not that it carries any merit anymore," he added wryly. "Feel free to address me by either name; it doesn't bother me in the slightest, unlike our captain. The same can go for my dear younger brother, the Deacon of Dark River. His birth name is Emil - you met him briefly at the lookout."

"Mm." Berwald decided that Lukas was someone he could talk and relate to for some reason. As they walked down a hallway, he took a moment to observe the other.

Out of all the pirates he encountered on the ship today, Lukas appeared to be the noblest one. His demeanor, manner of speech, and outfit exhibited class and royalty despite his occupation as a pirate. The navy bicorn on his head was accented with a golden trim and rose in one corner, his hair a pale blond that was held up on the left side by a cross hairclip. The rest of his hair flowed freely over the right side of his face, the bangs occasionally covering his right eye. An elegant, laced cravat wrapped around his neck followed by a white vest on his torso and over that, a pale blue long coat with white cuffs. His trousers were a matching egg white, a gold chain hanging from his left hip and his black knee-high boots were polished. A rapier rested against his waist and his hands were covered with fine white gloves, a round turquoise ring resting on one of the fingers of his left hand.

"If you keep going down this hallway, at the end of it will be the captain's cabin. Should he ever call for you, you'll know where to go," Lukas motioned to the grand double doors at the end of the hall.

Berwald nodded again. This place was much bigger than the brothel and he was having a difficult time remembering where everything was. The halls and doorways all looked the same to the Swede.

At the end of the tour, Lukas led him to the sleeping quarters on the lowest level where majority of the crew resided. He found out that the captain, Lukas, Emil, and the Reaper all had their own separate rooms on the ship. Exactly where on the ship, he was still unsure. This fact suddenly brought on another question bugging him for some time. He hasn't seen the Reaper since he boarded the ship. Berwald was about to ask his tour guide about the man's whereabouts and his real name when they stopped in front of a cot a bit in the back of the ship.

"This is where you'll be sleeping from here on out," Lukas pointed to the seemingly unoccupied small cot next in line with his finger with the ring on it. "Feel free to make it your own and get comfortable. Based on the price Mathias placed on your head, it might take a while," he said monotonously and turned to leave. "Dinner will be served soon. I'm sure the captain will have something for you to do the first thing in the morning, so I suggest you prepare yourself,"

The Swede hardly had time to thank his tour guide before the noble pirate left him to his own accord.

The sun had already set by the time he looked out the window next to his cot. The remainder of the night went by in a blur, Berwald remembering that he followed the sea of faces into the mess hall and ate something that tasted better than what he was fed back at his former job. By the time he landed on his thin cot, exhaustion swept over him and he finally gave way to everything that has happened to him today. He buried his face into the yellowed pillow, disregarding the sour smell and prepared to sleep. The ship continued to rock in a steady rhythm as it sailed across the calm, black waters toward Berwald's hometown. His first day as a pirate was now complete. As he shifted on the cot to make himself more comfortable, sleeping on his side to avoid his injured shoulder, his hand went under the pillow and bumped into something cold. The blond grabbed the small round items and found a couple of gold coins - a nice way to start his quest for freedom.

* * *

 **Endnotes:**

First of all I just wanted to say that I have absolutely nothing against Mathias...in fact I like him as a character but I'm sorry if he comes off as the enemy in this story...don't hold it against him and hate me instead lol Also, I suck at ship anatomy so forgive me for any mistakes there too.

I'm also sorry if I'm throwing a whole bunch of random names out there, but for the most part, like Hetalia's nation and human names, the characters have two types of names: a notorious pirate name and their real human name. I thought I'd stick with "Reaper" for a while because Berwald doesn't know Tino all that well yet and it'll be weird to just start calling this stranger he just met by a name hardly anyone uses. It'll also play a role in their encounters and relationship down the road, so in the meantime please bear with me on that; just know it's always Tino we're talking about here ^^;. I did some research on these names but I do apologize if there are any discrepancies. These were fun to come up with!

 **Pirate Names and Who's Who:**

The Reaper - Tino: This one doesn't need an explanation, he's named after the personification of death.

The North Sea King - Mathias: His name doesn't refer to anyone or anything or have any ghostly meaning. This one is just what it is, Mathias proclaiming to be the ruler of the North Sea, Atlantic Ocean and its surrounding areas.

Nyk - Lukas: In Norse mythology, "Nyk," "Nokken" or "Nykkjen" is a water creature and depending on which Scandinavian country you're in, have a different description on how it looks. The Nyk is said to be a talented musician who likes to trick people into jumping into the water and drowning them.

The Deacon of Dark River - Emil: Named after a famous Icelandic ghost tale of a deacon who lived on a farm called Dark River and died while trying to visit his girlfriend who lived in another town. His ghost, however, came to visit her and nearly dragged her down with him to his grave.

Also, the ship's name, the Draugen, is named after a Norse mythical creature. Also called "draugr" meaning ghost, they're usually spirits of those who have died out at sea and are the last things any sailor wants to come across. A monster-like water creature, they're usually covered in seaweed and can be seen on stormy nights, trying to drown those out at sea and sinking their boats.


	3. Roundabout

**Song Title: Roundabout** by **Yes**

* * *

For the next couple of days, the Draugen remained docked at the port Berwald thought he would never see again. The reason they came here remained kept from him. The sleepy town was not a hotspot for piracy, therefore they weren't questioned when they landed, their sails a regular white again and under the impression that they were rich merchants seeking business here.

But even if he was home again, Berwald dared not step foot on familiar soil for several reasons. First, there was Mathias, whom he knew kept a closer eye on him than he should at times on the ship. He has so far stood his ground and was on his guard, but the captain's threat remained etched in his mind. The other fear stemmed from the fact that the officials might still be cracking down on Berwald's former employer. He knew it was a long shot for him to get caught, but he didn't want to take any chances should he be seen and identified as an accomplice. The last reason was rather depressing. There really was no real reason or fond memories that tied Berwald to his hometown. Life went on perfectly fine with him out of the picture – nobody missed nor remembered him. He was insignificant.

So there he stayed on the ship. As soon as the morning sun rose on the second day of him becoming a pirate, Berwald started off doing menial tasks such as swabbing the deck and loading or moving cargo around. This suited the Swede just fine, as he was used to this back at his former job. Ironically, some of these "skills" carried over to his current occupation.

He never saw even a shadow of the Reaper anywhere while he worked. It was as if the man just disappeared.

In a short amount of time, however, Berwald surprisingly befriended a young boy named Peter, who time and again shared his dreams to the blond about aspiring to become a great pirate one day. Like him, the younger blond was an orphan, and one day while sitting on the dock of an isolated island, was offered to join the North Sea King and become a pirate. Peter, naturally curious, bold, and adventure-seeking, grabbed at the offer without a second thought. He has been on the ship for a while now, but was kept to doing light cleaning work – the same as Berwald at the moment. From what Berwald could tell, there was no one else on the ship around the boy's age. The two bonded over their similar backgrounds and the chores of the ship, the Swede helping Peter when he couldn't quite reach something or when he needed the extra muscle to move a crate out of the way all while listening to the boy gush about what he has seen and accomplished ever since joining "Uncle Matt" and becoming a pirate. Berwald listened intently, trying to understand why the child so loved it here and the supposed glory that there was to being a dog of the sea. Then, there were the interesting things he had to say about the captain himself and the Reaper. Apparently, those two were Peter's role models, and Berwald couldn't help but be concerned for the boy.

"Ya know," Peter piped up on the third day since they've stayed anchored at the port. The two were currently busy wiping down the rails of the ship on the deck.

"Hm?"

"Since you're officially one of us now, ya need something that'll make ya look like a pirate!" He showcased his current apparel of a simple white undershirt, blue pants that stopped at his knees, black shoes, and a navy blue bandana a bit too big for his head full of short blond hair.

Berwald did nothing but cock an eyebrow at the young boy, moving on to scrubbing the wooden floors around the navigation port with his bucket and cloth. He never could guess what the other was going to say. "Mm, suppose so." He then heard the sound of fabric tearing.

The young pirate had taken off his bandana and was doing his best to rip the cloth perfectly in half by its length. His tongue stuck out in concentration, blue eyes focused as he neared the end of it and gave one piece to Berwald. "Here!"

"Um…" The Swede took the torn bandana from Peter's small hand, eyeing it questionably.

"Ya put it around yer head, silly!" Peter teased, motioning for the man to kneel.

The taller blond did as he was asked, allowing the boy to wound the cloth around his head once before tying it into a knot and letting the tails fall onto his left shoulder.

"There! Now ya really are a pirate!" Peter beamed at his work.

"Thank ya," Berwald let a small smile form on his face as he looked at the boy, readjusting the bandana just a bit and pushing it further up his head so that it wouldn't loosen and fall over his eyes.

"It seems you've made a new friend, Peter, that's good."

The new voice shocked both of them as they turned to its owner behind them. The man in the black long coat approached them, his footsteps light on the oak boards.

"ReeRee!" Peter made a mad dash to close the distance between him and his role model.

 _ReeRee?_

The Reaper got down on one knee so that he was level with Peter and opened his arms, the boy jumping right into the skull-faced man's embrace.

The scene baffled and stunned Berwald, leaving him to gawk at the two. He didn't know what was going on, just that the Reaper has returned. He didn't even hear or see when the man boarded the ship.

"Yer back!" Peter chirped happily, bouncing in the other's embrace, his arms doing the best they can to wrap around the platinum blond's back. "Were ya able to complete your mission?"

A soft chuckle escaped from behind the white mask as the Reaper put some distance between them to look the young pirate in the eyes with his hollow black ones. "Yes, it went well," His hand then went into a pocket on his coat and pulled out a handful of candy. He said as he placed the treat into Peter's hands "Don't tell Ludwig now, you know how he says it's bad for you,"

"Mhm!" Peter nodded enthusiastically, already unwrapping one of the sweet treats and popping it into his mouth. "Thank you, ReeRee, it's delicious!"

"You're very welcome, I'm glad you like it,"

The boy then turned back to Berwald, who was still kneeling and watching them with intense focus, hardly believing what he was seeing. "I was just helping Ber here look like a real pirate!" he bragged as he got off the Reaper's lap and pointed a thumb in the Swede's direction. "He was lost without me,"

At this the Reaper tilted his head slightly, peering over at Berwald through his mask. "I see," he got up and patted the boy's head. "You did an excellent job, Peter."

The boy squealed at the compliment.

Berwald then saw the man approach him before stooping down to his level where he was on his knees. They were face-to-face now, the Swede noticing that the broken mask was repaired, some stitches going across the brow of the skull to keep the piece together. The other smelled heavily of gunpowder and ash.

"I have something for you too, Mr. Oxenstierna," the Reaper started. "Please open up your hand,"

Unsure of everything and wary, the larger man nonetheless did as he was told, palm open in front of him. He silently watched with caution as the pirate pulled something out from another pocket and placed the heavy pouch into his awaiting hand. It clinked upon landing into his palm.

"Here, take this. I agree with Peter – you should treat yourself to some new clothes,"

Berwald looked away from those black sockets and down at himself. He suddenly felt self-conscious about the way he dressed – old, tattered linen shirt and pants he held onto since he first departed the port; the same ones he wore when they were attacked.

"We will be docking here for a couple more days, so you should take the opportunity to shop around while you can," he informed the blond.

"Uhn…" he didn't know what else to say. Should he really just take the money? What if it was a trap again like what the captain pulled on him? His mouth creased into a thin line, brows furrowed as he struggled with himself on what to do.

The Reaper seemed to sense his distrust and added softly, gently "It's okay, really. That is yours to keep and spend however you like. You don't owe me anything – you deserve it."

 _Why is he being so kind to me?_

Berwald wasn't used to this sort of treatment, of receiving something without giving something in return. It went against the principle that governed his life.

"…" He was at a loss for words, as he usually did when it came to the Reaper.

The two weren't even aware that Peter had disappeared while they were talking until the boy made himself known by shouting "Ber! I just asked Uncle Matt and he said we're allowed off the ship!" The young blond was already excited for another adventure into a new town. "As long as we make it back before sunset, we'll be fine!"

Berwald wasn't so sure how true those words were in his situation. But next to him he heard the Reaper encouraging him to go. The tone was comforting, almost as if the other was smiling at him from behind the skull. It sounded so different from when he first met him on the other ship and his own voice that was gruff and deep. It didn't match with the man's outward appearance – especially his mask.

"You'll be fine. Peter knows his way around towns rather well, there is nothing to worry about,"

Peter ran up to the two, head turned towards the man in the black long coat. "Will ya be comin' with us too, ReeRee?" he asked hopefully. He pouted when he received his answer.

"I'm sorry Peter, maybe next time," the Reaper shook his head slightly. The white feathers on his black hat swayed from the motion. "I'm…tired. But I'm sure Mr. Oxenstierna will be more than enough company. He needs your help after all," he turned to look at Berwald once again through his skull mask.

"Mm…" The blond clutched onto the pouch of coins tighter before putting it into the pocket of his trousers. He saw the other rise to his feet, the tan boots at his eye level now and he slowly did the same.

"Right!" Peter saluted his role model before pulling on Berwald's arm. His thick eyebrows furrowed, he looked like a man on a mission. "C'mon Ber, let's go!"

The Swede let himself be held by the arm and led off the ship by the smaller blond. He caught the Reaper waving after them, the skull's jaw open and hanging before he disappeared from sight.

* * *

Even though Peter was the one supposed to be leading them, Berwald eventually had to guide them through the streets, familiar with which shops sold what and where. He wanted to be frugal, buying the simplest and cheapest but durable clothes offered in the shops in order to save the rest for his freedom. Unfortunately for him, the kid was fussing about and picking out the fanciest and flashiest, most "pirate-like" articles his blue eyes saw. Berwald discovered that he just couldn't say no to Peter. He always had a soft spot for children.

Eventually, the two settled for a black undershirt that started from high up his neck, matching black gloves, and a pair of trousers dyed a deep, dark royal purple color in one of the stores. In another, Peter picked out a pair of leather boots that were a shade similar to that of sienna wood, the cuffs of the boots embroidered with gold filigree. The boy then decided that something simply had to match the elegance of the boots, and so shoved a golden silk sash with similar patterns stitched into it into Berwald's arms. The cloth was long and dangled at his left leg even after he tied a knot securely around his waist with it, the tassels at the end nearly reaching his knee. The store keepers were wary of the man and boy, wondering if these two could even afford such articles of clothing; but the Swede silently fishing out his pouch of gold coins was enough to ease their concerns, thanking the two for their patronage.

During most of the shopping, Berwald did his best to push out any concerns and paranoia of being caught by the police here. He looked innocent enough with young Peter at his side, seemingly running errands for their boss. There was also the recent event he just witnessed of the Reaper back on the ship. How could that be the same man who boarded and raided Berwald's former employer's ship and killed him and many others? He was nothing like the pirate he thought he would be. He wasn't brash, cruel, or bloodthirsty. The display of kindness and affection towards Peter and himself left Berwald so winded that he even forgot to thank the man for the coins and to tell him to call him by his first name. The Reaper was truly an enigma…it was as if he was two completely different people.

"All right! Now all we need to get ya is a coat to complete the look!" Peter's voice broke Berwald out of his trance. He stopped them in front of another store and they stepped inside where they were greeted by a tailor. Peter spoke for Berwald of his need for a coat, to which the woman smiled bashfully at the Swede before asking him to stand still so that she could take his measurements and find something suitable for him. The woman then disappeared among the rows of fabric.

In order to fight off his boredom, Peter decided to rummage through the curtains of cloth and huge overcoats while popping another piece of candy into his mouth.

"Hey, d'ya hear?" Berwald overheard one of the customers whispering to the other tailor in the store. "They say there's been a murder…at the edge of town,"

"My word, no," the woman gasped.

"They say a fight broke out between the two…they heard gunshots…"

"Dear me, could they be bandits?"

"Probably. The police couldn't find anything though - no bodies or weapons, just blood on the ground. Some say it could even be pirates from the next town over,"

Berwald concentrated on picking up the bits and pieces of information from the conversation between the two before a voice rang out to him.

 _It's probably nothing…_ he thought a bit later.

"Um, sir?"

The tall blond looked down at the young woman holding a bundle in her arms. He flushed a little out of embarrassment for ignoring her until now. "Oh, sorry," he grunted out quickly, taking the coat from her and trying it on. In the full-body mirror, Berwald saw that the beige long coat, with its popped collar, hugged his form nicely, loose around his wrists and stopping near his knees. It was just the right size and felt comfortable. "Mm, I'll take it."

The tailor was overjoyed as she rang him up and took the gold coins from his hands reverently, eyes subtly asking for him to come again soon.

When Peter saw the purchase made, he skipped towards Berwald and was elated at how cool all the clothes came together. He was proud of his work and couldn't wait to tell the others on the ship.

It was mid-afternoon by the time they were finished with their shopping. With a couple of hours left, Peter wanted to continue looking through the town with Berwald close behind him. As they walked, Berwald groped the pouch of coins the Reaper gave him, trying to calculate how much he has spent today and how much he had left to save.

 _There isn't much left…_

His natural scowl set in further at the thought.

"Uh…Ber?" Peter addressed him cautiously.

Berwald looked down at the boy. "Mm?"

The young blond looked back and forth between his companion and the neck ties on display through a window of one of the stores. His blue eyes were big and round, mouth in a pout as he chewed on one of the sweets in his pockets.

"Hgn, go ahead and pick the one ya want," Berwald was quick to concede.

"Yay!" Peter ran into the shop.

Berwald spoiled the child, buying him a dark blue neck tie that the boy put on the moment the Swede gave the clerk her money. He could consider this a thank-you gift for his help in picking out his new attire, even though in the end the older blond ended up paying for everything.

Yet somehow, at the end of the day and when the two boarded the ship again, he was fine with the idea. He finally had a fond memory of this town before departing it once again.

* * *

"Take this, and this!" Peter roared, swinging his broom this way and that against the broad back in front of him.

"Yeah, and that!" Another hit from another boy came bearing down on the poor Swede's body.

"Ngh, okay, ya got me," Berwald held his hands up in defeat after a blow from the duster brushed across his cheek. "I surrender, you are the greatest pirate of the seven seas," He admitted begrudgingly, although his face had a small smile on it.

"Did ya hear that? Victory is ours!" Peter cried joyously once the tall blond laid sprawled on the ground.

"Let's make him walk the plank!" The other boy, Erland, chimed in with a smug look on his face.

It has been a few weeks since they set sail from Berwald's hometown. And to be honest, the two boys were the only things making the blond enjoy his stay here on the ship. Berwald found their latest recruit, the redhead, off the coast of a village neighboring his hometown about a couple of weeks ago. The boy was homeless, and thinking that he would be a good companion for Peter, Berwald impulsively offered him to tag along. The North Sea King didn't seem to mind the addition, receiving the young boy warmly. Who knew that the meek child was actually quite rascally and hot-headed once he opened up?

Peter and Erland actually didn't get along very well with each other in the first couple of days, but that quickly changed and they became the best of friends once they realized they were about the same age and shared similar interests. One of them was the hobby of sparring against the big Swede, incessantly requesting that he play with them and ultimately "beat him up." Of course Berwald would let them have their victory each time – there was no way in hell he was going to hit children!

So here they were, lying on the deck out in the open during the day. The sun was out but not too bright and burning, a light breeze constantly blowing to keep them cool. They have completed the tasks given to them and were enjoying the trip as the Draugen set out to a destination they all didn't know of.

"Well aren't we all chipper today?" A voice drawled.

It made Berwald tense while Peter jumped off his lap to greet the captain of the ship.

Erland, who was still shy and cautious around the other grown men on the ship, stayed close to the Swede, closing his blue eyes and burying himself in the beige coat as if to conceal himself.

Instinctively, he put an arm around the redhead while he got up from his sitting position, his cyan eyes meeting Mathias' blue one.

"Don't worry, Erland, Uncle Matt is really nice!" Peter reassured the other. He was now swinging on the blond's bent arm as if it were a bar.

"That's right, I don't bite!" The North Sea King smiled broadly, cheerfully stalking over to the two.

"R-Really? You won't?" Erland piped up, still finding refuge in Berwald's coat.

"Will you play with us, Uncle Matt?"

"You betcha! If Ber here ever needs a break, ya can always pick a fight with me, a real captain of the seven seas," he challenged the two younglings. "Let's see if ya two got what it takes to bring me down," he smirked.

This intrigued Erland and he came out of hiding, moving away from Berwald and towards the North Sea King. "Yeah, let's play!"

"Okay you two, but first, lunch is ready!"

At this the two boys dashed past the men and towards the mess hall, talking excitedly about a strategy on how they would take down the captain of the Draugen.

When the deck only consisted of the two adults, Mathias turned back towards the taller blond. "Ya know, ya really are a family man, aren't ya, Ber?" he started. His footsteps were heavy on the wooden boards as he made his way closer to him and the gold chains clinked against each other.

He was too close for Berwald's comfort and reeked of alcohol.

"Ever thought of sparring against someone yer own size?"

"…" Berwald continued to stand firm in his new sienna brown boots, his arms crossed.

"If ya want…" Mathias pointed a black gloved finger at the Swede's chest. He ran the digit down the material of the black undershirt slowly. "I can give you special lessons on how to fight," he whispered suggestively. "Someone like you are bound for more than just grunt work. You will make a fine pirate, Ber. I can feel it," When Berwald continued to give him the silent treatment, he ended with "Just stop by my quarters if ya change yer mind." He winked before backing away and turning to leave.

Berwald chose to blatantly ignore and reject the offer.

It was strange, but he noticed that the captain acted differently around different people. For the most part Mathias was cheerful, loud, and brash to everyone – especially the younger underlings. Like Berwald, he seemed quite fond of children. But then towards others, like the Swede, he was a bit more…intimidating, dominating, and cocky. The man was a talented actor, he'll give him that much. But that was what perturbed Berwald the most – he couldn't tell whether the captain's intentions were malevolent or not at times. There were indeed occurrences and moments in which he genuinely wanted to help…and others such as when they first met, in which Mathias had another agenda in mind.

Either way, there was never a dull moment on this ship.

Berwald kept tabs on how much more he needed until he was free, and the occasional coins he found under his pillow at night sure helped him towards his goal.

* * *

Despite being the one to introduce Berwald on board and remaining on this ship for well over a month now, the Swede and the Reaper never really talked after the first few days. Berwald would see the other here and there, helping the other crew members with their duties. The two would exchange curt greetings from time to time when they passed each other, but that was about it. The Swede was never a conversationalist, and the Reaper always seemed busy and would disappear sometimes.

Today's routine was a bit different, Berwald now assigned as a kitchen help because one of their workers was sick with scurvy. He found the kitchen in decent time, but it took an awkward conversation to convince one of the main chefs to believe that he was not some enemy pirate raiding them.

"Calm yourself, Feliciano!" Ludwig, who decided to jump in and help the kitchen staff as well, reprimanded the chef. "Behave, he's one of the newer recruits brought on by the Reaper himself,"

"Eh? ReeRee brought you on board?" the smaller man used Peter's nickname for the pirate. This fact suddenly calmed him and he bounded over to the Swede, the curl of hair on his head bouncing as he did so. "Any friend of ReeRee's is a friend of mine! I'm Feliciano Vargas; you can just call me Feli by the way, and next to me is my big brother Lovino-"

"So…that freak brought on another creepy guy…how typical," someone who looked very similar to Feliciano cut in. Their appearance was where their similarities ended apparently. The newcomer made sure to stay behind the German doctor as he spoke and glared at Berwald with hard hazel eyes.

"Waahh, that's not very nice, brother!" Feliciano peered at Berwald apologetically with his soft brown eyes. There was a hint of an Italian accent in his words.

Lovino merely scoffed, his voice harsh and cynical. "Well it's true and you all know it!" He continued glaring at the taller blond as if he was the source of their problems.

Admittedly, it was making Berwald uncomfortable being caught in this dispute all of a sudden. He just wanted to help in the kitchen!

"Sure, he can try to help us all out…being polite and shit, but I ain't buying it!" Lovino then turned his attention to his brother and the doctor. "That guy is a psycho with a screw loose! Our captain may show off his kills or whatever crap he considers to be so great, but he doesn't hold a candle to that bastard…"

"That's enough, Lovino!" Ludwig turned to scold the other, trying to regain order in the kitchen. "It's simply his job. You know Reaper doesn't like to mention these things, so you shouldn't either,"

At this point Feliciano felt like he had to defend his friend. "Ve, remember the time when he came in and saved us? He protected us from those bandits,"

"He ripped a guy's throat out, Feli!" Lovino bit back.

The younger chef whimpered a bit at his sibling's fury over the subject. "He's just trying to protect us…"

"Humph. Sure, you can go on and keep thinking like that, ya moron. And that maniac can keep pretending to be normal all he wants, but he's not. He never will be."

Feliciano pouted, his brown eyes watery. "Can't we all be friends? ReeRee's a really a nice person if you give him a chance, right Ludwig?" he hoped his companion would back him up. "I spilled tomato sauce on him once and he just smiled and helped me clean it up!"

All he got from his older brother was a disgruntled huff, refusing to believe him.

"He's always in pain…" he noted sadly.

"All right you two, that's enough. We have work to do. Dinner will be starting soon and we can't keep them waiting!" Ludwig ordered as he ran a weary hand over his slicked-back blond hair. Luckily, he was able to get the situation under control and the kitchen staff began carrying out their duties.

Berwald said nothing throughout the whole exchange and even after when he was assigned to peel and cut the carrots and potatoes. He simply took in their words, the bout an information overload to him.

 _Is the Reaper really that frightening?_

From what he has seen so far in combination with his limited contact, the platinum blond always seemed so calm and gentle. Aside from their very first encounter, the man didn't look like he was out for blood. No, even on the ship that time, the Reaper was very composed - his eyes didn't reflect the same killing urge he saw in Mathias' one when they had their private talk. Peter absolutely adored him, and he did help Berwald get new clothes…There was also that last detail Feliciano mentioned about the man that intrigued him for some reason.

 _What did he mean when he said he's always in pain?_

The whole dialogue in the kitchen replayed in Berwald's mind over and over again throughout dinner and when he was about to wrap things up for the night. The hallway leading towards the captain's cabin was dark and quiet with nothing but the sound of waves gently slapping the side of the ship outside filling the air. After collecting his work's worth from the captain and sidestepping the flirtation and suggestive remarks that came with it, he slowed in his steps when he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him and one of the doors further down the hall was slightly ajar. A streak of moonlight flowed from it, beckoning Berwald to take a closer look. He did just that, curiosity getting the better of him and as noiselessly as possible, approached the wooden door and leaned forward to peer inside. His eyes strained as he squinted to see what the room held within. His mouth opened slightly and he gasped silently at what he saw.

Within the dark room, the only source of light being the moon that filtered through the large window on the opposite side of the door, the Reaper was sitting up on his bed. His body was at an angle as he faced the direction the moonlight was coming from.

Berwald heard the other sigh ever so softly, a drawn out exhale of air from behind the mask.

The man on the bed then slowly raised a white gloved hand towards his face and pulled the mask off. As the skull fell away, it revealed a young face made of porcelain skin, jaded amethyst eyes, thin lips, elegant brow and cheeks, and short platinum blond hair. He continued to stare out into the infinite deep waters below, sorrow swimming in those violet orbs reflected by the moon.

The Reaper's real face reminded Berwald of those angel statues made of stone he saw in the picture books back at the orphanage, describing a place in a faraway land. Or when he passed by an antique store while running errands for his former boss, he would sometimes see the wooden angels with their hands clasped together in prayer in a glass case on display. They were beautiful and placid, yet, even though their faces expressed grief or sadness, it was also apathetic, distant and controlled. It was as though the angels weren't really there in the present, feeling for something that has long since past.

Berwald let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding in.

The Reaper looked stunning in the moonlight, even if he was just resting on his bed and peering at the sea.

For all the times he had seen the man, this was the first the Swede has ever saw him without the other hiding behind the morbid mask.

And suddenly Berwald felt like a voyeur even though the Reaper was fully clothed, the mask the only thing stripped off. It felt like a private, intimate moment and he just stumbled upon it. Ashamed of himself, he removed himself from the door and rushed down the hallway as quietly as possible.

It left him thinking all through the night when he finally made it back to his cot:

 _Is that really the face of a killer?_


	4. Odyssey

**Song Title: Odyssey** by **Kerry Wheeler ft. Ashton Palmer**

* * *

The North Sea King was leaning back leisurely against his fine leather chair, brown boots with their straps undone propped up against the edge of his desk. In his right hand was a gold coin he absently flipped back and forth along his fingers. The other hand was holding up his chin as he rested his head on top of it. Despite his apparently lax position, the captain was actually quite frustrated. The source of his frustration came in the form of a recent tall recruit named Berwald. The Swede was desirable at first glance, but what made him more enticing and pivoted Mathias to take such an immense interest in him was his former profession. Sure, Berwald has told him that he was only a laborer and worked in the back of the brothel, but the captain knew enough about the business to know that the blond served other functions there as well. With the man's looks and physique, he was sure there were more than a few who have asked for his services. Just thinking about it made Mathias lick his chops. This led him to his current predicament. The captain has been trying to woo the former prostitute for the longest time, attempting to go about it the gentlemanly way…but his patience was running thin. He will have the man this time, and make sure that everyone else on the ship knew who he belonged to.

* * *

There was always a sense of dread whenever Berwald walked through the hall leading up to the double doors of the captain's cabin. He still loathed the man for forcing him into this situation, but he refused to falter and show any signs of weakness while he was on the ship. He would always come when called upon to take his money, mind focused on freedom. However, it stressed and strained his mind and body from always having to be on guard while around the captain, but he would make it. He has been through worse. Being on the ship and away from his former life gave him a renewed sense of self-worth for some reason. It still wasn't much, but it was something. He didn't want to admit it, but the new lifestyle was refreshing to some extent.

Subconsciously, Berwald looked to the door that led to the Reaper's room and saw that it was fully closed. He had probably turned in for the night. The image of his face was never quite far from the surface of Berwald's mind all day.

With a reserved sigh, he dragged his feet along to the end of the dark hallway and through the grand double doors where a glowing blue eye greeted him. The smirk on the captain's face was wider and showing more teeth than usual.

"Ber, come in, come in!" The North Sea King sprang from his seat and made his way around the large mahogany table, gesturing for the taller blond to have a seat on any of the fine furniture lying around the room. Silently, he closed the doors behind them. He continued eyeing the man as he walked past him, noting how the gold sash on the other's hips with its tassels swayed provocatively with each step.

Berwald looked around the room with disinterest.

The captain was far too chaotic and showy with his taste in design. Windows were set on either side of the room, one in particular right above a grand bed with red velvet covers, large pillows, and a nightstand next to it. The desk on the opposite wall of the bed, the one he often saw the captain behind, was littered with various trinkets, glasses and bottles of alcohol, pieces of silver and gold, jewels, papers, and maps – all haphazardly placed on its smooth surface. A lamp with its body in the shape of a silver mermaid was placed precariously in one of the corners of the table. Large chests full of coins and jewelry were shoved in the back at the far end of the room in the corner and lined the walls. Extra coats and garments were strewn across the floorboards. A giant pole axe, its blade sharp and polished, leaned against the back wall in a corner. Luxuriously cushioned chairs that didn't match each other spotted the room.

Berwald chose to sit on none of them and stood stock-still instead, black gloved hand out expectantly at the captain. The other never made this easy for the Swede. "M'pay," he grunted.

"Ah yes, yes," Mathias took his sweet time walking back to one of the trunks filled with gold. But when he was there, he paused and turned around with a proposition. "Say Ber, it's been on my mind recently, but I couldn't help but wonder how ya got yer hands on such fine clothes. They suit you," He made his way back to the Swede, his black long coat flowing behind him.

"Saved enough," was the simple answer.

"Really now?" he purred. "It sounds like ya owe me for such a nice outfit ya have on now," They were only a foot away from each other. He saw the other straighten up at their proximity and it only thrilled him further. "How would ya like a chance to get even better clothes?"

"No-"

The captain didn't let him have a say in it and continued. "If you play your cards right tonight, dear Ber, you just might get paid more than usual – an additional amount of gold on top of your usual work's worth,"

Berwald scowled, staring threateningly at the shorter blond. The other shot him a suggestive look, blue eye hooded. There was only one thing the captain wanted at the moment that would get him paid more.

An overbearing silence hung between the two as the Swede refused to answer.

"Aww what's the matter? Ya don't have to be shy around me, Ber," Mathias cooed. "This is something yer used to, right?"

The taller blond's fists clenched tightly at the implication. "No, I just want m'regular pay," he flatly refused. "I'll pay m'debt another way."

Something snapped in the captain – his last thread of patience for the other. He was offended by what he was hearing. "What, I ain't good enough for even a whore like you?!" The question was biting. "Do you have any idea who yer talkin' to?!" He growled, hands bunched up in the material of Berwald's beige coat, pulling the man down closer to him.

"Don't wanna do that anymore," Berwald retaliated. Damn it, he had more dignity and honor than being just rough trade, a person's plaything for the night! If there was another way to get paid aside from using his body, he'd do it. He didn't want to return to those dark days at the brothel so soon. He shoved the captain away, but the man was persistent. "I just want my pay!"

"Oh I'll give it to ya…once I'm through with you!" The North Sea King grabbed Berwald by the sleeve of his coat when his Swede tried to turn towards the doors.

 **Smack!**

Mathias didn't expect the other to whip around and punch him square in the jaw. "You bitch!" He spat out, readjusting his eye patch before he tackled the other, forcing him up against the work desk. The papers and trinkets fell off the table from their struggle with a loud clatter.

Berwald snarled as he prevented himself from getting trapped beneath the other. Their bodies were pressed up against the wooden desk, the Swede's back lying on top of it, his head next to a bottle of spilled rum that dyed the parchment surrounding it a deep burgundy color. The tips of the navy bandana on his head absorbed some of the alcohol as well. He pushed back when he felt hands on his forearms, preventing the other from pinning him to the table. One of his legs tried to slip in a kick to put some distance between them. "Get off me!"

But the captain was strong. He dodged and blocked all of Berwald's blows. The taller man may be strong, but he lacked technique. His underling was giving him a hard time, but this only served to excite the captain even further. A maddening chuckle erupted from his throat, a hungry glint in his sky blue eye as he finally had the other pinned to the desk and nestled himself between those strong legs. "Don't worry, Ber, you're in good hands…you're in _my_ hands!" He swooped down to bite into the other's taut neck, sinking his teeth past the material of the black undershirt with a force almost hard enough to break skin.

"Gah!"

It delighted Mathias to feel the other man squirm beneath him. "Ya like that, don't ya?"

 **Knock. Knock.**

"Captain?" A voice floated through the oak doors. It didn't wait for a response from anyone before the pirate entered the room.

 _Reaper?_

Berwald craned his neck away from the man above him to get a better look at the newcomer. He was greeted with a porcelain face and violet eyes.

The Reaper's intrusion angered the North Sea King greatly; he was just about to have his way with his treasure! "What?! What d'ya want, Reaper? Can't ya see I'm busy right now?!" He looked over his shoulder and scowled at the platinum blond, not even a bit ashamed that he was caught.

The shorter male saw the two on the desk and glanced at Berwald before saying "I need to have a word with you, captain. We're landing soon,"

"Yeah, yeah, can't it wait?!" Mathias scoffed, putting pressure on the body below him to make sure the other didn't slip past him.

"No."

The captain laughed sardonically at the response as the figure came closer to them. "Don't fuck with me right now, Reaper. Just take orders from Nyk,"

The Reaper was close enough now to see that Berwald was forced to have his legs spread out for the captain, pinned by the wrists. The taller blond's expression was nearly inscrutable, grim and menacing, but he was quite certain there was a small plea for help held within those cyan eyes. He flicked his violet eyes down at the Swede before addressing the captain. "He's had a rough day today. Perhaps you should call it off tonight," He tilted his head slightly towards Berwald, voice soft and light.

"Ohh I bet I can make it even _rougher_ ," Mathias replied huskily. He looked back down at his prey and said "He is rough trade after all!" Guffawing at his own crude joke he ordered "Now get outta here, Reaper," But then a thought occurred to him and he smiled wickedly at the man. "Unless of course, ya wanna stick around to watch?" he invited lewdly.

 _Oh gods, no!_ Berwald renewed his efforts at the notion, only to be fastened tighter onto the desk.

The platinum blond was silent before saying calmly again "I need to speak with _you_ , captain."

The atmosphere in the room was tense once again.

"Haha, oh ReeRee," Mathias said off-handedly, nonchalantly. He eased off of Berwald to turn his body slightly towards his crewmate. His eye flashed dangerously with intent to kill. "You just don't know when to quit!" In a flurry he whirled around to punch the other with all his might.

But the Reaper read his move with ease and caught it, clasping the fist with the palm of his hand and holding it there, staying silent the whole time.

Mathias snarled.

The strain and standstill between the two implied that the Reaper was equally strong despite his smaller stature. He remained unfazed as he peered into his captain's burning blue eye, his voice low and stern as he said "I insist, captain."

His subordinate's persistence aggravated the blond captain, but he nonetheless relented, removing himself completely from Berwald. "…Fine. But ya better make it worth my while, Reaper!"

The two made their way outside towards the hall, the Reaper closing the double doors behind them.

A bit shakily, Berwald got off the hard desk and shifted to a more comfortable position. He readjusted his shirt and coat from the manhandling to look more decent and awaited his fate. There was no point trying to escape – he would just get caught down the hallway. As he leaned on the messy desk, he calmed his breathing and strained his ears to listen to the other two's conversation on the other side of the double doors. Much to his displeasure, he could only hear the captain's brash voice in small segments.

"Fuck! I…Why…fuckin'…soft on 'im?!"

When they finally came back inside, the captain stormed towards the nightstand where his black hat rested and grabbed it to place it on his head. "I'm headin' out," he proclaimed gruffly. He left Berwald alone, but not before leering at the Swede and stating "Consider the price on your head doubled for your insubordination tonight." The North Sea King then walked off without closing the doors behind him.

 _What?!_

"Are you all right?" The Reaper's voice distracted Berwald from his inner turmoil and angst. The other scanned the assaulted man for any signs of injury, his violet eyes landing on the wound on his neck hidden by the undershirt. "Do you need to see the doctor?"

"Uhn…no," he managed to say as the platinum blond got closer to his spot near the desk. He shied under his incredulous gaze. This earned him a small smile from the other - it looked rather sad.

"You must be tired, please try to get some rest," his voice was soft and gentle again. "It's okay, you can rest easy now in your own cot if you want,"

They were so close to each other near the desk. Perhaps it was just because the Reaper wanted to keep his voice down and so had to be near Berwald to be heard…or that he was assessing his injuries. Either way, this was the first time Berwald ever saw the Reaper's real face so close up, locking eyes with him. He didn't have to sneak around the other's door to see the man so clearly now.

In the ambient light provided by the mermaid lamp, the taller blond peered into deep pools of purple. He noticed that they were dull, the light in them snuffed out long ago and giving way to an ashen hue. His face was rather round, thin lips curved in a small smile that belied sorrow. His skin was smooth and radiant in the lamplight.

"Mm." Berwald struggled with his words to say something to the other. He remained fixated on the floor, suddenly unsure of himself.

"Hm? Is something wrong, Mr. Ox-"

"Thank you!" Berwald blurted out. "Thank ya for saving me back there, thank ya fer the clothes…thank you…" His thanks all gushed out at once and he curled in on himself.

For a moment, the Reaper's eyes went wide and he just blinked a couple of times. He looked like he didn't know what to do with all the thanks that were just given to him. But then a small chuckle, just a soft huff of air escaped him and he smiled up at Berwald warmly, sadly. "Don't worry about it; you don't even have to mention it."

The Swede muted himself, no longer trusting his voice and simply nodded his head in understanding.

This response was satisfactory to the platinum blond who then turned around and headed for the open doors. His long black coat with the tattered ends swayed from the movement. "We'll be docking at a port in town soon to resupply, but there's still some time left for you to sleep," he offered. "Goodnight."

Berwald continued staring at the Reaper's back until it vanished into the shadows of the dark hallway. Only when he suddenly felt disgusted staying in the captain's cabin by himself did he make his way downstairs to the general sleeping quarters where most of the crew members were still fast asleep. He didn't get much rest afterwards, his mind reeling from the encounter. What Mathias and the Reaper discussed he didn't know, but all the same he was grateful he was spared from having to turn back to his old profession. He never realized how much he despised it until now that he was given a chance to do something different. He held onto the opportunity tightly, refusing to be used like that ever again.

* * *

After the other night's incident, despite the rumors surrounding the infamous pirate, it became obvious to Berwald and he deemed the Reaper as not a bad person and wanted to know more. In fact, he felt that it was long overdue considering how long he's been on the ship now and yet he still didn't know a lot about any of the important crewmates of the vessel. The days were long and so many things happened that he couldn't get his bearings until now. All the faces and names he came across as well as his duties were only sinking in recently.

They have arrived in another town Berwald knew nothing about. Since that night in the captain's cabin, Mathias went out and hasn't returned to the Swede's relief. He couldn't believe the other so casually went back on his word and increased his debt just like that...just because he rejected the captain. But then again, what did he expect from a pirate who tricked him into becoming one himself in the first place?

 _It's just a small setback…_ he told himself. He would eventually make it.

He carried out his usual chores and tasks for the day, making time to check up on Peter and Erland and before he knew it, the sun has set. He has not bumped into the Reaper at all that day, the man out of sight once again.

After dinner was served, Berwald decided to visit a certain doctor in order to get more information. From his past encounters with the German, Ludwig was someone who had a good head on his shoulders. A very serious, straight-forward, and knowledgeable man, the two of them were on steady terms and it relieved the Swede to know that Ludwig would not try to avoid him or go spastic should he say something. He caught the man resting on his cot and went over, catching the German's attention. Surprisingly, Feliciano was not with him at the moment.

Ludwig got the message that the other wanted to talk without the taller blond even having to say anything and motioned for him to have a seat on the unoccupied cot across from him. It was a mutual understanding of sorts. "What seems to be the trouble? What's on your mind?" he started.

"Can ya tell me more about the captain and the ship we're on? Tour wasn't enough," Berwald got right down to business.

The doctor cocked an eyebrow at the sudden and rather odd inquiry, but if it was something he could answer, then he would. "Well, the Draugen is a military ship that belonged to the captain's family," he paused. "The crew has three founders who are also brothers – Mathias, Lukas, and Emil. They were once nobility in Denmark before having their good name besmirched and property stolen and burned by a rival family, causing them to resort to piracy in order to survive." When he gave his companion enough time to absorb the new information Ludwig then went on to say "The captain, Mathias, suffered the most from the loss. If you listen closely enough sometimes when they go out drinking, you'd get an idea of their story." The doctor was very thorough with his explanation, going through the profiles of the three brothers.

Berwald learned that Mathias was the eldest brother, whose preferred weapon was a long pole axe named "Maelstrom." He had wanted to become a soldier and serve before the tragedy robbed him of that opportunity.

Lukas, the middle child, was the first mate, tactician, and navigator of the crew. He wielded a rapier called "Grim" and was going to become a scholar. He was studying abroad in Norway when the incident happened.

The youngest brother, Emil, was rather indifferent about where his future led him. He was away in Iceland visiting distant relatives when news came to him of what happened to his family and home. When the captain wasn't on the wheel, he would be the one steering the ship and was responsible for its artillery and defenses. His weapon was a small curved dagger he always liked to keep by his side called the "Bitter Touch."

"However, I feel like there is one other person you want to know the most about," Ludwig said when he was done with his explanation. "I suggest you ask before there are more ears around,"

The doctor was very perceptive and caught onto Berwald's intentions rather easily. He also had a point - most of the crew members were about to turn in for the night soon. "Mm, Reaper."

The German leaned in a little and started slowly "Everyone here on this ship has a role – chefs, workingmen, repairmen, navigator…what do you think the Reaper's role is?" He didn't wait for a response as he continued "You may see him doing other tasks, but his real job begins when we're under attack, or when we're the ones doing the attacking," Ludwig's voice lowered a bit, as if this was all a secret. "He is our rifleman, and a very talented one at that. His main weapon is a pair of flintlock pistols – 'Huurre' and 'Kuutamo.' His main job is to kill anyone under the captain's orders,"

Berwald nodded his head slowly, understanding why the man was given the name "Reaper." He then remembered something. "What's his real name?"

At this Ludwig could only shake his head, apologizing. "I don't have the answer to that one. You would have to ask the man himself to know. Reaper doesn't share much about himself. He told me once that he's from northern Finland, but that's about it, I'm afraid." The doctor seemed to remember something then. "Based on what I've heard, next to the brothers themselves, Reaper is a veteran on the ship…or at least the one who has stayed on the ship the longest and lived…" His sharp blue eyes were staring into Berwald's cyan ones intently. "What Lovino said before back in the kitchen was uncalled for...however, it was not entirely false either," his voice was but a whisper near the end. "But, as I've said before, if he was the one who took you in, you're in good hands – the Reaper protects those under his care. He has been doing so for Feliciano, Lovino, and myself since we've boarded," Ludwig tried to end it on a positive note.

"Mhm." Berwald could attest to that. Whether or not it was pure chance the man came in when he did last night, the other's various acts of kindness was more than enough to dissuade the ever-looming suspicion that the Reaper was hostile. He just didn't have to be an enemy of the platinum blond, which in all honestly wasn't hard at all to do. They hardly saw and talked to each other after all. But for some reason, Berwald wanted that to change. He wanted to know more about his "savior."

By then, other crew members were filing into the sleeping quarters, groaning and jeering at one another before finally settling into their respective cots.

Berwald thanked the doctor and hauled himself over to the far end of the space where his cot laid. He reached under his pillow, making it a habit to check since every so often he would find a handful of coins there. Tonight was no exception, and he pocketed the coins into the pouch he kept in his trousers. This money was different from the payment he received from the captain, but Berwald was not about to complain. Money was money, and he wasn't about to question how or why it kept appearing under his pillow. Soon he wouldn't have to question it at all, as he would be off the ship soon enough – leaving life on the sea, the captain, and the Reaper all behind him. Or at least, that was what he kept telling and hoping for himself.

* * *

 **Endnotes:** There's something about me and naming things, but since I'm already writing a pirate AU, I might as well go all the way and start naming their weapons too eh? This was fun and I earnestly don't expect anyone to remember; it won't harm anyone anyway. Although some are explicit, a couple of the weapons' names may need some clarification.

 **Weapon Names:**

 **Grim -** Short for the "fossegrim" in Norwegian, Lukas' weapon is named after a water spirit who is known to be a talented violin player who resides near waterfalls. Historically, although a harder weapon to master, a rapier wasn't a pirate's favored weapon because it would break under the force of a heavier weapon. Also, the size and space needed to properly use it was also an issue on a ship but Lukas is too classy to care in this case and will stick to his noble heritage through and through.

 **Huurre** \- "Hoarfrost" in Finnish

 **Kuutamo** \- "Moonlight" in Finnish


	5. Wanted Dead or Alive

**Song Title: Wanted Dead or Alive** by **Bon Jovi**

* * *

The town was bustling in the mid-afternoon heat.

Due to his anonymity in the books, allowing him to move about freely in this town that hated and hunted pirates like a sport, Berwald was given the task of buying supplies while majority of the crew members stayed in hiding on board the Draugen. They have switched their sails in order to blend in with the other merchant ships among the docks. It was supposed to be a quick stop, which meant that the Swede and anyone else who wasn't wanted were to hurry and get back as soon as possible.

Discretion was the key here. Anyone who did not want to get caught changed to a more casual look in order to blend in with the workingmen around the area. Even at the pier, the security was tight and they were questioned. But Lukas, who appeared to have done this many times before, remained calm and collected as always, answering the official's questions precisely, confidently, and convincingly. It wasn't until night that they would have more leeway.

But until then, it was up to Berwald, Peter, Erland, and a handful of the other crew members to round up the supplies they needed before heading out once more. This town was the exact opposite of what the blond was used to back home. There was always a sense of urgency in the air along the streets, and more than a couple of times he felt shifty eyes on him. The townspeople were alert and alive, very active in what they were doing. It was as though they were always waiting for something, their voices shrill and full of energy. It was making Berwald tense.

The storekeeper in front of him was talking rapidly as he was trying to pick out the fruits and vegetables Feliciano has written out for him on a list. He hurriedly grabbed the nicest looking ones, paid the man, and silently made his way towards the next vendor. It wasn't until he passed by a large wall of a building did he slow in his quickened steps.

It was a bounty list.

The high wall was plastered with various wanted posters of pirates, bandits, thieves, and criminals alike – all with a high price on their heads. Some of them had a large red "X" over their portraits, indicating that they have been captured and executed. Other posters were torn from the old cement wall by force from something, the corners the only things remaining.

Berwald saw some familiar faces on that wall.

Although the posters were hand-drawn on a rustic canvas, the features were spot-on. He saw the captain of the Draugen, the North Sea King wearing his black eye patch with the skull and crossbones design on it and a cocky smirk on his face. Next to him on his right was his brother Nyk, his eyes as expressionless as always even on paper. The Deacon of Dark River was on the bottom looking uninterested, drawn at an angle to show a large gold earring dangling on his right ear and a black bird on his left shoulder. Then there was the Reaper near the top of the wall. His real face was not featured, the portrait only having him with his skull mask on, staring menacingly through hollow black sockets. The largest bounty was placed on him among the pirates Berwald was familiar with. Apparently, according to Mathias and the poster, the Reaper's life was worth more than a hundred times as much as his.

"Whoa, did Reaper's bounty go up again?"

"Same thing with the North Sea King…that crew is nothing but trouble I swear!"

"That shouldn't be a surprise, but it seems that Captain Kirkland is quickly making a name for himself. He's climbing up in bounty fast!"

"Hey, has anyone heard anything about Ivan the Terrible lately?"

"Not really actually, they say he's been rather quiet recently…"

"Thank the heavens!"

The mass of people around Berwald continued to restlessly gossip and clamor about the people featured on the bounty list. They all fell into a hush, however, when someone stood on a podium to the right of them and declared something.

"We caught another!"

As if having a hive-mind, the large crowd moved as one to the center of town where a scaffold was set up. Caught in the middle of it all, the Swede was jostled along into seeing what got the people so riled up. With his height, even if he was a bit far away from the center, with his blurry vision he was still able to make out an official standing next to a bound, rugged man in his late thirties. Berwald couldn't really hear the conversation between the two on the gallows, but the crowd cheered and grew wild once the official placed a noose around the other man's neck.

It was a public execution.

Before he knew it, the floor underneath the criminal was dropped and the man writhed, cursing hoarsely before drawing his last breath.

The crowd was nearly bloodthirsty at this point.

 _This town is mad!_

The tall blond has never seen anything like this before. The prisoners and criminals back at his hometown were silently sentenced to jail. The executions, although rare because most were just petty offenses, were done as privately as possible. But here, it was celebrated - a spectacle for all to see. And by the looks of it, this kind of event was common. Suddenly fearing for his own life should he be caught as well, Berwald backed away from the crazed crowd as casually as possible. As he made his way towards the edge, he saw Peter and Erland, who were puzzled over what was going on. They stood there like the frightened children they were – no longer were they pirates. Shoving past several men and women with supplies still in hand, Berwald eventually made it to the petrified boys and made a motion for them to follow him. Cowed by the event, the two obediently and silently slinked away until they were nearing the port once more where the Draugen remained anchored.

"Wh-What was that?" Erland, who has never seen something like this before, uttered breathlessly. His usually hot-headed temper completely dashed, his face was pale.

"I-It's nothin'! We won't get caught like that guy! We're too good for that!" Peter's voice shook slightly as he tried to reassure the other boy. He has seen something like this once or twice before, but it was something the young pirate was still not used to.

Berwald remained silent until he neared the ship. Gruffly, he told the boys that they could leave their stuff with him to load.

The two nodded their heads gratefully and practically ran into the sanctuary of the vessel.

Suddenly, Berwald's previous fear of being caught in his hometown for prostitution seemed petty compared to what he got himself into now.

* * *

Now that he was away from the mania and events in town, Berwald's mind cleared rather quickly as he continued carrying out his errands. Once he was done loading all the heavy cargo some of his other crewmates left for him to handle, Berwald boarded the vessel and continued his usual task of cleaning the interiors of the ship mindlessly. He became relatively calm when he realized no one was after him, safe and hidden behind the wooden boards of the Draugen. So it shocked him when he heard the barking of a dog and padded footsteps coming his way.

Berwald stood stock-still at the sound, ready to fight if he had to when he was greeted by a small white dog.

The dog entered the storage room he was in and approached the Swede cautiously but with friendly intentions, rolling onto its back as if asking him to rub its stomach. Its beady black eyes peered curiously over at the tall blond.

"Hm?" Sensing no present danger, Berwald stepped closer towards the canine, suddenly intrigued by its presence. He has never seen the dog on the ship before, but then again with how massive the pirate ship was, he supposed it was normal. It wasn't like he saw a lot of the other crewmates on a regular basis either, each tending to a certain area of the vessel to not be bothered with acquaintances. But this dog's entrance was a welcoming one because it seemed domesticated, yipping cheerfully when Berwald reached down and petted the soft curly fur of its underbelly gently. He quickly noted that it was female. She even had a cute little blue and white striped bandana sitting on her head between her ears.

"Hana…?" A voice ghosted from the hallway and into the cramped room.

The small dog seemed to respond to the voice and barked, still snuggling up to the Swede as she was getting her belly rubbed.

The Reaper's figure appeared in the narrow doorway, having followed the sound to the storage room. He looked down at the Maltese as she made herself comfortable in Berwald's arms, sniffing him with her tiny black nose and licking his face.

Berwald couldn't help but notice that the platinum blond wasn't wearing his mask again today.

His features softened as he smiled at Berwald, a small bowl of food in his hands. "Oh, I'm so sorry for disturbing you like this, Mr. Oxenstierna," He then eyed the white dog, lowering the bowl. "Come on, Hanatamago, it's time for dinner,"

But at this the Maltese whined a little bit, curling into the Swede's chest even further, hiding her face from her owner.

The Reaper tilted his head curiously at this, sighing a bit exasperatedly. "It seems she doesn't want to leave you alone. I'm so sorry," he apologized. He came closer to the two and kneeled in front of them, placing the small food bowl to the side. "I know you're busy today,"

"It's okay," Berwald quickly replied as he stared into those violet eyes. Subconsciously he continued to pet Hanatamago. "She's nice." This earned him another small smile. "I don't mind,"

"Well," the Finn motioned towards the food bowl. "If it's not too much trouble, would you please feed her when she's done being spoiled?"

Enthusiastically the taller blond nodded his head, coddling the dog to look up. "Hanatamago," he tried saying her rather odd name.

She responded in kind and turned her small face to his square jaw, her mouth slightly opened as she panted.

"Dinner's ready," He lifted the bowl filled with scraps of meat towards the Maltese still being held in his other arm.

With a small bark Hanatamago was scarfing down the morsels of food, shoving her face into the bowl as deep as it will go.

The Reaper watched in awe as he witnessed his dog being fed by the other so easily. "I can never tell what she's thinking sometimes," he chuckled. "But it seems she's already quite fond of you,"

"Mm." Berwald didn't know what else to say, slowly placing Hanatamago and the food bowl down when she appeared as though she was finished eating.

"How are you doing, by the way?" The Reaper suddenly asked him, peering into Berwald's cyan eyes. "I'm sorry about what happened the other night. Are you all right?"

Berwald stilled for a moment, not used to the attention. No one has ever really asked him that question before. No one really cared how he felt or what he thought. But in the short amount of time he had, the blond answered curtly "…Fine."

The Reaper only smiled that sad smile of his, dull eyes searching his face for an earnest answer. "That's good to hear. Peter told me what happened in town," he started. "I'm sorry you had to see that. But it's a good thing you were there and came when you did. Thank you for watching over those two,"

The rifleman was…thanking him?

Because Berwald looked like he wasn't about to say anything anytime soon, the Finn chose to continue. "Peter and Erland were both shaken up, but they're a lot better now. I told them they should stay on the ship for the rest of our time here,"

"Yer bounty went up," Berwald felt like he had to say something to keep the conversation going. He didn't know how awkward his attempt sounded until it left his mouth.

At this the Finn averted his eyes towards the floorboards. "Ah, is that so?" he mused. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised…" His smile was ever mournful. "Thank you for letting me know,"

Hanatamago seemed to sense her owner's distress and came bounding to him, pawing at his lap. She was picked up gently and cradled in his arms.

The Reaper then turned back to Berwald. "I will be away for a while," he informed him.

The Swede grimaced internally, trying not to show it any more than what his face naturally did. By now he knew what was implied when the Reaper had to "go out." The man was being sent on a mission…possibly an assassination or bounty hunt. He had figured it out when he was able to connect the Finn's disappearance and his return with something heavy on his shoulders – a body. It was possibly a bounty or rival pirate that the captain had in mind to hand over for money, Mathias paying the Reaper right there on the spot for his efforts.

"If you don't mind, would you be so kind as to take care of Hanatamago while I'm gone?"

Berwald saw the white Maltese held up to him gingerly. Without even thinking he took the dog from those white gloved hands.

"If not, you can hand her over to Feli-"

"N-No, I will." the Swede stumbled out and gave him his word that he would look after her.

The Reaper's smile was a bit brighter, but still held an ever-lingering sad undertone to it. He looked the taller blond in the eyes as he thanked him kindly. "Then I leave her in your capable hands." He gave his dog one last pat on the head before standing back up and facing the doorway. "I need to start preparing…it's almost nightfall. Thank you once again for all your work, Mr. Oxenstierna."

"Stay safe." Berwald didn't even realize he had uttered those words aloud until the shorter blond stopped in his tracks and turned to him, thin lips parted ever so slightly and violet eyes wide almost in disbelief. He didn't know why, but upon hearing that the man was going to be roaming about in a town that was hunting him down did not sit well with the Swede. And then there was the hanging he just witnessed a few hours ago…it filled him with something akin to apprehension to imagine the noose hung around the Reaper's neck on that scaffold.

The Finn's lips closed together a bit, and then with that trademark smile of his said softly, soothingly "I will." And with that, his tan boots padded softly against the oak boards as he exited the small storage room.

Hanatamago howled when she saw that her master was leaving yet again without her.

Berwald did his best to comfort her as he rose from his kneeling position on the ground, the empty feeding bowl in one of his hands.

* * *

Thankfully, everything in the anti-pirate town went without incident. In a couple of agonizingly long days, the Draugen was once again out in open waters with fresh supplies and a bit more money than when it first docked.

During those days of waiting for everyone to make it back in one piece, Berwald took care of Hanatamago as if she was his own, juggling her meal times and paying her attention with his own daily tasks and keeping an eye on the two boys who were now spending more time with each other rather than with the Swede. He was glad they were getting along so well and didn't need to "beat him up" so often anymore, but at the same time he couldn't help but feel left out.

He also felt more relieved than he should have when he saw the masked figure board the ship again, twin pistols in his holsters and the smell of blood and gunpowder sticking to his black long coat. But then he saw the North Sea King come on board as well and his features hardened. He was silently hoping that the townsfolk would be able to apprehend and hang the captain.

When the Reaper saw that Berwald kept his word and Hanatamago was looking even more energetic than usual, he gave the taller blond a most grateful expression and words of thanks – things that the former prostitute still couldn't take in stride.

One night, when they were miles away from the previous mad town, Berwald woke up with a start, distraught. He rose from his cot, passing by all the other crew members still sound asleep.

Something didn't feel right.

The captain has not made a move on him lately, but he couldn't be too careful.

 _Maybe I just need some fresh air…_

Up on the deck, Berwald thought he was going to be alone. But he was wrong.

On the opposite end of the ship, Emil could be seen at the helm and keeping the ship on course towards their destination.

The quarter moon shining high above the sea illuminated the dark waters below, streaking it with rivers of silver. It also reflected nicely off the Reaper's amethyst eyes and highlighted his porcelain skin. He was peering over the calm sea near the edge, a gloved hand on the rail. A gentle breeze blew from the south, tousling that platinum blond hair a bit.

Despite his best efforts to make himself invisible, the rifleman somehow felt the taller blond nearby and turned slightly to acknowledge him. Berwald didn't even know why he was approaching him in the first place. His legs just carried him to the other man of their own accord, drawn in by the allure of the figure bathed in moonlight.

"You're awake," the Reaper greeted him. "I'm keeping watch for us tonight, so you can go back to sleep if you wish. I'll sleep in the morning," He added that last part when he thought the other was about to question him.

"It's fine," Berwald shrugged, not exactly wanting to go back to his cot.

At this the Reaper's thin brow knitted together slightly. "Is something wrong?"

"Couldn't sleep,"

"Nightmare?"

Berwald nodded absently, feeling like he couldn't lie to the other.

"I'm sorry to hear that; nightmares are horrible, aren't they? Did you want to talk about it?" The Reaper's voice was still light, calm and soft. It was smooth like Lukas' but not as deep…almost comforting compared to what he heard on a daily basis on the ship.

Berwald found that he liked the sound of that voice and didn't mind if it was the voice he heard all day long. But to answer the other's question, he said "No."

The shorter pirate left it at that, nodding his understanding and offering him a small, sad smile.

"Do…Do ya ever have nightmares?" the Swede redirected the question. It was easier to talk to the other with the mask out of the way.

"Hm?" The Reaper turned back in his direction, away from the sea. "To be honest, I haven't had a dream in years – it's always just darkness…sometimes I think it's better that way…"

"Hm."

The platinum blond then asked him "How are you adjusting to life at sea, Mr. Oxenstierna?"

"Berwald."

"Pardon me?"

"You can just call me Berwald," He finally remembered to ask the other to call him by his first name. "No need ta be formal."

"Oh…" The Reaper said slowly, smiling slightly as he tried again "How are you adjusting to life at sea, Berwald? Are there any problems still?"

He shook his head. "It's fine," he said again.

The other didn't look convinced. "You are taking all this in very well. I know this apology is long overdue, but I'm sorry you got dragged into all of this against your will," His eyes were downcast. "Back then, we were hunting down a certain pirate crew who owned the ship you were sailing in. They stole from us, but we had no idea they already ran inland and sold their ship,"

The pieces were starting to fall into place in Berwald's mind. It was just bad luck the ship his former employer bought was a pirate ship, and even worse luck that they were mistaken for said pirates.

"When I took you on board, I didn't expect the captain to take such a liking to you…I'm sorry…if I'd known, and if I could help it, I wouldn't want you to do anything against your will," he said earnestly.

"It's not your fault," Berwald found himself saying, wanting to comfort the other.

"If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know. Please be honest with me, there's no need to feel like you have to take everything on by yourself; let me know if something is wrong, Berwald."

The Swede was taken aback by this declaration along with those violet eyes staring right at him. There were so many things he wanted to say and ask the other. Why did he want to help him so much? Could he really help him pay for his freedom? Did Berwald even deserve the Reaper's help? The platinum blond was giving Berwald something he thought he would never have – hope. It could just be cruel, sweet lies to lull the blond into a false sense of security, but one look at those eyes and he knew…he felt that he could trust the man before him. He had hope now that he really can make it off this ship alive. It made his heart and head feel light. "Thank you…" he mumbled, still not quite used to being treated this kindly without doing something in return. The Reaper has never asked anything of him that he wasn't comfortable with.

This reply seemed to relieve the Finn and he smiled. "No need to thank me, it's the least I can do."

Below them, the waves continued to splash against the hull of the Draugen, careening it softly back and forth as it sailed through the solar sea reflecting moonlight and stars.


	6. Vater Unser

**Song Title: Vater Unser (Lord's Prayer)** by **E Nomine**

* * *

 **Clang! Clang! Clang!**

This was not a sound Berwald heard before on the ship.

It sounded like a brass bell being rung over and over again.

"We got company!"

"Man yer stations!"

The pirates were filing out from the sleeping quarters in a hustle. It was still dawn by the looks of it outside the window next to Berwald, so what was getting everyone so panicked?

"Ya think it's a famous pirate ship this time?"

"I hope so; I wanna make a name fer myself!"

"I can't wait!"

Following the crowd onto the upper deck where majority of the crew loitered about, Berwald noticed that many were leaning over the rails of the ship, eyes peeled for something.

 _What's going on?_

"All right, settle down now!" The North Sea King emerged from the stairs and made his way to the steering wheel. The man was still sluggish from sleep, dragging his brown boots with their undone straps on the deck and black hat with its unkempt feathers on his head.

Berwald trained his cyan eyes evenly on the captain and eventually caught sight of the Reaper near the steering wheel with the other two brothers.

The rifleman donned his signature skull mask once more, hollow eyes looking straight ahead of him. To his right, he heard his captain yawn loudly, the large pole axe in his right hand scraping behind him.

"What is it now, Emil?" Mathias mumbled out as he took the telescope from his younger brother and held it up to his one good eye. What he saw made him guffaw. "Ha! These guys are nothin'! Probably don't even know who they're messin' with!"

To this the pirate in the royal blue vest with golden embroidery on it simply shrugged and said apathetically "Hey, a threat's a threat. I still had to sound the alarm anyway,"

"He's right." Lukas defended his younger brother. "Unless you wanted them to board us and wake you up in that manner," he said pointedly.

"Okay, okay, I get it!" The captain held his hands up at the navigator. "Geez…"

The smaller white pirate ship was gaining on them from behind. It was making a beeline straight for the Draugen, the pirates on board armed and intent on raiding them.

Mathias' grin widened at the thought of battle in the morning. He strode over to the edge of the helm and rallied his men. "Looks like someone just couldn't wait to greet us this mornin'! Get ready men, it's about ta get bloody!"

A raucous battle cry erupted from the crew members around Berwald.

 _We're being attacked?!_

In all honesty, for as long as he has been a pirate now, it surprised him that only up until now did he experience an actual raid. He thought they would be more common. But now that one was occurring before him, he was at a loss as to what to do or expect.

The blond scanned the sea of faces around him and sought the features of Peter and Erland. He found the two boys peering expectantly on the edge of the ship, trying to shove past the gruff men in order to get a better view of their opponents. It was ironic how excited they both looked while Berwald was internally panicking. This wasn't a game of pretend, it wasn't a tale in a story book…this was real life! The Swede has gone through this before and he knew just how real their lives were on the line now. He feared for the two boys' and his own life. Instinctively, he made his way to Peter and Erland, trying to coax them to get away from the rails and back down the stairs where it was safer.

"Whaat, no way!" Erland whined, his red hair a mess and a clear indication that he has just gotten out of bed. "I've never seen a pirate fight this up close before!"

"Yeah! It's really cool, Ber! It's gonna be fine!" Peter beamed, completely confident in the outcome of the battle about to take place. His blue eyes shone as he said "We're gonna win! 'Cause ReeRee and Uncle Matt are gonna beat 'em up!"

Berwald caught the cacophonous voice of the captain as he bellowed and laughed.

"Aww ain't that cute? They're tryin' to catch up to us, let's make it easier for them," Mathias pointed to the boat still a bit ways away. "I want a full stop!"

The crewmen were quick to pull up all the sails so that the Draugen slowed in its speed in the water and ultimately stilled.

The white enemy ship was only a few yards away now, but not close enough to board yet.

"Don't fire off any of the cannons! We're gonna do this the fun way," the captain ordered. "Y'all like that, don't cha? Prepare fer an all-out brawl, boys!"

At this the pirates on the deck grew even more reckless, drawing their swords and pistols.

Berwald was starting to hate the noise and chaos. He had no weapon, but should any of the enemy pirates come close to either him or the two young boys, he will put up a fight even with just his fists! It was similar to what he did before at his previous job…just a bit more violent and the chances of dying much higher.

When his men were riled up, the captain turned over to the Reaper, who had remained silent this whole time. "Let's give 'em a warm welcome, shall we?" he said playfully, a gloved hand over the Reaper's shoulder in an act of camaraderie. His tone was sweet as if the previous event from nights before did not happen at all - just water under the bridge. He rotated the handle of his axe idly as he grinned devilishly at the smaller male.

After a few more moments of silence the Reaper finally said "…Right."

"Excellent!"

The two made their way down from the steering wheel and onto the middle edge of the deck where they were closer to the incoming ship. All around them, the crew members quieted down when they passed by, as if anticipating something.

They made way for their strongest fighters.

"The opening act is about to begin." Lukas announced from high above on the forecastle of the ship.

 _Opening act?_

Berwald, being close and tall enough to see the two among the crowd of pirates, squinted and kept his eyes on them. Next to him, Peter was waiting with bated breath, nearly jumping with excitement.

"It's gonna be so awesome!" he jittered.

"All right!" The North Sea King roared with fervor, striking his axe down on the face of its large blade. He kneeled on one knee, holding the pole axe with both hands and angling his weapon so that the blade created a small platform to be stepped on. He made it as parallel to the ground as possible. "Let's do this!"

The Reaper came up from behind him, feet light as he stepped onto the large blade of the axe and crouched to make himself comfortable and balanced on top of the weapon. In his hands were two flintlock pistols locked and loaded. The one in his left was a royal blue color while the one in his right was white with a pearlescent sheen. They both had a gold finish to them along the handle and on the metal parts where the gunpowder and flint rested. Each pistol had three barrels attached to them in a triangular formation that glistened in the early morning sun.

"Are ya ready?" Mathias asked of both the men around him and the Reaper.

The crowd cheered.

 _What are they doing?_ Berwald couldn't piece together what it was the two were trying to pull.

The blond captain received a curt nod from the masked man. "Whenever you are."

With one last cheeky grin, the North Sea King laughed boisterously before strengthening his grip around the axe's handle. "Here we go!" With a powerful yell, he lifted the axe with the Reaper still sitting on top it and spun around once before launching the platinum blond in the direction of the enemy ship.

"Go get 'em, ReeRee!" Peter cheered his role model on. His words joined many others who were hollering as well.

"Man, how come the Reaper gets first blood all the time?" Someone near Berwald complained.

"Well if ya can survive getting catapulted like that from an axe," his companion replied. "Maybe then ya can take Reaper's place,"

The Reaper leapt off the axe blade gracefully when he knew the trajectory was right, the force from Mathias' swing giving him momentum and throwing him over the remaining distance between the two ships. He went farther than any board could manage. As he sailed across the air, he flipped forward to get into a better position, pistols poised in front of him. He was nearly above them now on the white ship. The black coat fanned out like dark wings behind him as he descended.

 **Bang!**

The first of many consecutive rounds was heard as the Reaper shot the enemy while still airborne.

"What the hell was that?!" Someone from the enemy ship exclaimed.

"Up there you fools!"

By the time the skull-faced man landed soundly on the netting of the shrouds on the other ship, six shots have been fired.

Six bodies fell limp on the white deck.

"Get him!"

Berwald watched as the enemy pirates tried taking aim at the man perched on top their shroud.

The Reaper quickly reloaded his twin pistols with practiced hands, pulling out all the items he needed in one smooth motion while dodging the bullets below him. His boots glided across the netting from one area to the other until both firearms were ready to go again.

 _This is suicidal!_

Sure, the Reaper was impressive, but to throw the man out there onto the enemy ship where he would be surrounded…that was just pure madness!

"Check out this coward, standin' around up there and hiding behind that mask!" They began mocking the Reaper. They remained ignorant of what they just saw, some of the men climbing up the shroud to meet the Finn, swords in their mouths so that their hands were free to grab the ropes.

But apparently not all the crew members were on the same page.

On the deck, some of the enemy pirates thought it would be easier to have the Reaper come to them instead. And so, they went over and chopped off the ropes connecting the shroud together, the platform immediately losing tension and collapsing. Many of their own crewmates fell head first back onto the deck while the Reaper hung on the dangling remains of rope.

"Look out, ReeRee!"

Those who hung on like the rifleman continued scaling towards the platinum blond, eventually cutting the square patch off where he held on.

"…!" The Reaper fell the rest of the way down to the white deck, landing on his two feet in a circle of bloodthirsty pirates.

"Give 'em hell, Reaper!"

The crew members of the Draugen didn't seem concerned at all that their rifleman was surrounded.

Berwald's fears were coming to fruition as they all ganged up on him, their weapons pointed at the masked man. He started to panic.

"Watch closely," Lukas' voice drifted to him. The taller blond didn't even notice when the noble pirate came down to the deck and next to him. His dull navy eyes remained on the Reaper, a small, knowing smile set on his lips. "Death is about to blossom," he explained poetically.

The enemy was all around the Reaper, snarling and making death threats now that they had the man right where they wanted him.

But despite the harsh abuse, the masked man remained silent and unmoving from his spot in the middle of the crowd, arms crossed gravely over his chest, a pistol in each hand and fingers relaxed on the triggers.

"Die-!"

 **Bang!**

The moment the first pirate made his move, he was shot dead, followed by another one.

The Reaper began his onslaught, quickly dispensing all six rounds of his guns into the enemy. Smoke began to rise around him as the flintlock pistols were ablaze and gunpowder sparked and flared. He swiftly dodged any return fire shot at him and countered them with a bullet of his own. It was almost as though he was dancing among them, spinning this way and that until everyone around him dropped dead. When he ran out of ammunition, the rifleman made do with the fallen enemies' weapon and continued the fight.

The white deck ran red with its crew's blood.

"Just what the hell is he?!"

"Why isn't he dead yet?"

"Hey, don't mind if we join in too!" Mathias bellowed nearby.

"What?!" By the time they realized it, the North Sea King's crew have taken the liberty of drawing the boards to connect the two ships and were making themselves comfortable on the white vessel. The enemy was too distracted trying to take down this one masked man that they were the ones who ended up being boarded and raided.

"Damn it all!" As a last resort, many of the enemy pirates threw down smoke bombs in order to regain the advantage.

Large clouds of smog bloomed on the deck, creating an artificial mist that lingered and suffocated those within it.

Berwald, ushered and pushed forward by those behind him, ended up boarding the enemy ship when the chaos was at its highest. Swords clashed and guns fired around him until he inhaled the acrid smoke and felt a gloved hand pulling him down gently.

"I know it's most unpleasant," Lukas whispered to him, crouching on the white floorboards. "But try to keep still and lay low. He won't hit you by accident that way," he advised, turning his head with the navy bicorn on it towards the rest of their crew.

It was much quieter now, the sounds of battle lessening as Berwald noticed that majority of the Draugen's crew members were trying their best to keep their heads below the smoke. They knew the protocol for this type of situation and acted accordingly. Berwald did the same, silently watching and waiting for what happened next.

The Reaper silently shifted in and out of the smoke, the skull mask turning left and right as he searched for any movement, a cutlass in his right hand.

"There he is!"

"Ahh!" A dying scream was heard not too far from the Swede followed by a heavy thud and a lifeless body falling next to him. His throat was slit.

The same thing happened a couple more times as the Reaper culled the deck of any remaining enemy pirates.

The smoke began to dissipate.

As it did so, from where he was crouching next to Lukas, Berwald caught sight of the masked man once more.

The Reaper's cutlass was crimson with the blood of the enemy, the tattered ends of his black coat kissing the faces of the dead as he passed them by.

Before Berwald knew it, the raid was a complete success. Cries of victory were sent towards the heavens and across the ocean as the North Sea King and his men reaped their reward. The work of looting and hauling everything back onto the Draugen took place by the time the sun fully rose above the horizon. He didn't know when the Reaper slipped away from all of it, but the man was nowhere to be found on the deck of neither the Draugen nor their newly acquired ship.

The Reaper simply vanished after claiming the souls of their enemies.

Mathias has decided not to sink the white vessel due to its mint condition, and after the blood was cleaned off it, gave the more veteran crewmates the option of moving into the new space. The smaller vessel would now sail alongside the Draugen and serve as a sister ship in order to allow a bigger lodging space for the crew. The surviving enemy pirates who tried to hide were forced to walk the plank.

Throughout the day, despite being occupied with a slew of work after the attack, Berwald couldn't push out one persistent thought. He now knew exactly how the Finn earned his name, his reputation, and the respect and fear from the other crew members. After that display, the Swede became one of them; he just didn't know which he was more – scared or awed. He might not have been out at sea for too long, but back in town he has witnessed fights between pirates and bandits such as this one break out. They were usually much smaller, but none of those came close to what he saw that morning.

He has never seen a fight so one-sided in a person's favor before, specifically when it was just him fighting against a whole group all on his own.

* * *

After the attempted raid made by the enemy pirates a few days ago, Mathias thought it was high time to turn the new recruit into a bona fide fighter and pirate. "It's not somethin' yer a stranger to eh, Ber?" He approached the taller blond one afternoon, a jovial look on his face. A mischievous glint hid under that sky blue eye.

Berwald knew what he was getting himself into, not that he had a choice in the matter. He was practically forced to present himself one day out on the deck and prepare to fight someone the captain has picked out for him. It was an easy enough order – spar with the person until either one of them could no longer fight or surrendered. Readjusting his black gloves so they were on tight and fixing the navy bandana around his head so that it wouldn't get in the way, he was soon greeted by a burly man nearly twice his size. Berwald vaguely remembered seeing him around the artillery part of the ship.

Mathias was not starting off easy on him.

"I hope yer ready, mate. I've been itchin' to get into a good fight fer a while now!" The male pounded his fists against each other, smirking at the Swede.

"…Mm." Berwald acknowledged the other, widening his stance and raising his arms up. Breathing through his nose, he calmed himself and focused on the opponent.

At least the weather was nice outside, a small breeze making its way across the deck and fluttering against Berwald's beige coat. He didn't have long to appreciate it though, as the man came charging at him the moment Mathias signaled the start of the match.

This type of fighting Berwald was used to. It was what he was familiar with back at the brothel when rowdy drunk men tried to maul him. He felt more in his element now and let his body guide itself through the movements of maneuvering out of the other's way before moving in. Using the man's weight and force against him, he grabbed him by the collar and threw him over his shoulder onto the floorboards. He then quickly had the other man pinned down in a solid lock, preventing him from taking any further actions against him.

As hard as the gruff man tried, he could not break free from the smaller blond's grasp and was soon subjugated.

It was an exhausting struggle, but Berwald came out victorious.

By now, a crowd of the other crew members of the ship gathered around them. They were never far when a fight erupted on board; it was a great sport and way to pass the time when there was nothing else to do.

"Nicely done, Ber!" Mathias encouraged from on top the forecastle, spectating and judging the blond. "Now, who's next? Anyone? Step right up!"

Some looked like they wanted to go, but upon seeing the Swede's intimidating gaze, they chose to remain spectators. However, a couple of volunteers from the crowd, riled up by the match they just saw, came up one by one to face Berwald.

They went down with more or less effort. Honestly, how much more of this did he have to go through today?

He was straightening out his coat and retying the gold sash around his waist when he saw a figure come swooping down next to the captain on the forecastle. With his limited vision, Berwald saw the shorter blond donning a simple white working tank top under a blue sleeveless vest and matching white trousers. A navy and white bandana covered most of his silver-blond hair. He couldn't see much after that as the crowd, now more and more excited, started to gang up on him in pairs. He grunted in frustration but all the same prepared himself for the attackers.

"Some match you got goin' on here," Emil, who saw the action happening below from the crow's nest, swung down from one of the ropes dangling across the mast of the ship. The fight seemed interesting enough for him to go down and have a better look.

The captain was thrilled to be visited by his younger brother. "Emil!" He then proudly extended an arm out to the deck where Berwald was in the center of the crowd.

The blond was knocking back one crew member after another with his fists alone. Many were heading back towards the crowd nursing some part of their body and injured pride.

"Just teachin' Ber here the ropes!"

"Uh huh…" the Deacon of Dark River's magenta eyes looked down at the Swede. "And when you say teaching, you mean throwing him out there for the sharks?"

"Exactly!" Mathias didn't catch the sarcasm sent his way.

"…Right,"

"I wouldn't be such a great captain if I didn't do otherwise!"

The second mate sighed exasperatingly. He flicked the golden hoop on his right earlobe idly, the gold chain around his wrist clinking as he did so.

"Aww are ya lonely up there by yerself, Emil?" the captain concluded. "Ya gotta tell me these things! How'd ya like to spar with Ber down there next?"

"It's not good to keep these things to yourself, little brother," Lukas came up to join his siblings and observe the fight before them. It was beginning to get out of hand with the crewmates practically mobbing the new recruit.

Emil scoffed, looking down at his brown shoes. "It's fine really."

"Ya gotta be honest with us!"

"For the last time, I ain't lonely!"

"…"

The three siblings didn't need to hear anything to know that someone else has joined them on the forecastle.

Sensing the other, Mathias whipped around and gave the man a smug grin. "How nice of ya ta visit,"

The Reaper nodded at him and said "I thought things were getting out of hand…"

To this the North Sea King just guffawed. "Ah nothin' like a good ol' spar if ya ask me!" He motioned towards Berwald still out there on the deck. "Wanna have a go at 'im yerself? He's quite the fighter!"

The rifleman took a second to look down at the Swede with his violet eyes before humbly stating "I don't stand a chance."

The captain didn't believe this statement for a second. "I've seen ya break men twice his size in half before!" He kept pressuring the Reaper to test the new recruit's strength until the other brothers had enough.

"The Reaper hasn't slept in days, Mathias," Lukas intervened. "It's best to let him rest this time around,"

"Yeah," Emil joined in. "If ya want to see a good fight so badly, why don't cha just join in yourself? Save us the trouble of amusing you,"

Something seemed to click inside the captain's head. "Hey…yeah yer right! I should go down there myself!" He leapt off the forecastle and landed on the deck, commanding everyone to stop what they were doing. He was too excited to hear what his two brothers were saying behind his back.

"Idiot."

"How annoying…"

"All right, y'all had yer fun! Now step aside and lemme show you how it's really done!" He proclaimed, meandering towards the center of the ring where Berwald was still standing tall. Their eyes met - playful blue against steely cyan. "How about it, big boy? Care ta take on the captain himse-!"

Berwald was growing tired of all the fighting he just went through, but the captain's challenge to fight the Dane himself got his blood pumping and he charged. He hated the man, and now that he was offered an opportunity to legitimately maim him, he wasn't going to pass it up. He was infuriated and wanted to make Mathias pay for everything he's put him through. With renewed strength, he swung a left hook at the North Sea King.

"Oh ho, someone's excited!" The captain purred, thrilled at how his subordinate was really getting into it. He ducked out of the way from the incoming fist, backing up a bit to gauge the other's abilities. "Yeah, that's right…give it everythin' ya got, Ber!"

Berwald didn't need to be told that. He has taught himself submission moves that were useful in his previous line of work because it restrained the customers before they were kicked out. But simply holding the captain down was not what he wanted – he wanted to completely pummel the man. His swings grew wild as he tried to hit his target.

All around them, the crew members of the Draugen were cheering loudly. Among them, Peter and Erland were unsure of who they should be rooting for, but they were both excited all the same at seeing the two men fight.

"Go Uncle Matt! You too, Ber!" Peter shouted, conflicted now that his loyalty was tested.

The captain laughed his boisterous laugh when the Swede blocked a blow to his jaw. "Ohh you really are good at this," he cooed. It was getting him excited. "I like that look on yer face right now, Ber…show me more!"

Berwald obliged and after a fake-out, managed to slip in a punch straight across the captain's left cheek.

"Guh!"

The crowd went wild at seeing their captain hit.

Mathias was quick to react, however, and returned the punch in kind to Berwald's left side.

"Yeah!"

The captain saw the Swede rapidly recovering from the blow and held out a palm in order to catch the incoming fist. With his other unoccupied hand, he hoped to pummel Berwald's pretty little face in again, but found that his fist ended up being caught in a similar fashion.

The two were at a standstill, struggling to force their way past the other, arms locked and pushing against each other, faces inches apart.

Berwald dug his sienna brown boots into the floorboards, refusing to give any ground to the damn captain.

Mathias was pushing and resisting just as hard, a smirk on his face. "Well aren't ya just-!"

"Ohhhh!" The crowd roared.

In the small opening he saw, Berwald leaned in and headbutted the blond in the nose and broke their deadlock. It was a shame he didn't have time to celebrate because Mathias was already done recoiling from the hit after an aggravated snarl.

"Well seein' as though we're playin' fair!" The captain moved swiftly and kneed the taller man squarely in the stomach, hands clasped together as he brought them down on Berwald's back when he was still hunched over from the first blow.

Berwald found his face hitting the oak boards before he knew it, gasping when the wind was knocked out of him and his vision became blurry. He immediately rolled over with a pained grunt to evade another kick to the stomach and got back up on his feet, refusing to surrender. He could feel blood running down the side of his jaw and on the side of his head where the bandana laid skewed.

"Now that's the spirit! Things are just gettin' interesting!" The captain was thoroughly enjoying this hustle. Those cyan eyes burned with hatred for him, making his skin crawl in such a good way. He smiled through busted lips and a bloody nose, blue eye bright with bloodlust.

"Hm!"

"Wow…those two are really going at it, huh?" Emil noted.

"Yes, but now I think it's getting out of hand," Lukas mused. "Let's end this before they end up killing each other."

The Reaper nodded, still fixated on the fight. "…Agreed."

"I'm gonna enjoy tearin' ya apart!" The captain charged in once he caught his breath briefly. However, he didn't cover much ground, finding himself choking as a hand pulled him backwards by the blue and red striped collar of his long coat. "What the hell?!" He turned aggressively towards the other holding him back. Navy eyes stared him down.

"That's enough, Mathias." Lukas said coolly, but his voice was strained with impatience. He was not about to take any objections. "You're making a fool out of yourself - you're done here."

Berwald, seeing the captain unmoving from his spot, thought this was the best opportunity to finally finish the captain off and prepared to charge when a hand clapped on his shoulder.

"Please stop."

Livid cyan eyes turned to the source of the voice, but upon seeing the pair of patient purple eyes looking back at him, his scowl dropped. "Reaper…"

 _When did he…?_

The Reaper was like a ghost, the taller blond having no idea when he had snuck up from behind him. The white gloved hand on his shoulder was gentle, its touch light. But there was a power behind the grip that Berwald knew existed to back up his request should the Swede retaliate. He found himself relaxing into the touch, the fight leaving his system as he continued to stare into that face smiling sadly at him.

"The fight is over; there's no need to continue now that the captain knows how strong you are."

"Hahaha! That was a hell of a fight, Ber!" Mathias laughed exuberantly while he straightened himself up, spitting out a glob of blood onto the floorboards Berwald knew he would have to clean up afterwards. He was back to his cheerful self again as he addressed the crowd. "All right ya slackers, show's over! Back to work, all of y'all!"

With a unified groan, the crowd dissolved as they went back to their stations, still humming with excitement over the brawl.

"That was awesome Uncle Matt and Ber!" Peter hollered before resuming his task of scrubbing the rails with Erland in tow.

When the spectacle was taken care of, the captain approached Berwald casually until they were only a couple of feet away. Lukas was still behind him, keeping a watchful eye on his lunatic of a brother.

The Swede stood up straight when he saw the two coming his way. The hand on his shoulder never left him, comforting him.

"I must say, I'm very impressed, Ber!" The North Sea King grinned through bloody teeth. "If yer like this now, imagine how better you'll be when ya have yer own weapon!"

"…"

"I'll have one given to ya, since I'm such a kind and amazing captain! Keep training under me, and yer gonna be a great pirate, Ber. Also," He directed his blue eye from Berwald to the man next to him. "If ya keep this up, I might even let ya have lessons on usin' a rifle!" he winked. "Wouldn't that be fun?"

"…Mhn."

The dismissive grunt was good enough an answer as any for the captain. He then turned around and headed down the stairs to his quarters, Lukas following him closely. "Great! That's all for today, now back to work!"

The Reaper waited until the captain's black long coat was out of sight before addressing the man next to him who was still silent as a grave. By now he removed his hand from Berwald's shoulder. "The captain is right, you know. You were really amazing back there! Remind me not to anger you in the future," he joked lightly.

Berwald shrugged, not knowing how to take the compliment. He never knew what to say around the other…and when he tried it was awkward. He was also still bitter that their fight was disrupted, but it was probably for the best…probably. Perhaps he would have another opportunity in the near future. He heard the Reaper sigh slightly beside him.

"Will you be all right? I suggest you go to Ludwig to have your injuries tended to…Although with what just happened, it might be a while until he sees you," his lips curved slightly into a small and sad smile. "The poor doctor…"

The taller blond took a moment to assess himself. The adrenaline was starting to leave his body and the pain was beginning to sink in. It hurt, but it wasn't anything he wouldn't live through. "I'll be fine."

"Really? Maybe you should take it easy for today. I'll take care of your tasks for you if you want," the Reaper offered kindly.

Berwald felt spoiled by the other - something he has never experienced before. "Uh…" He shifted his gaze away from the Finn, shy from accepting his help. He didn't really need it, but it felt nice knowing someone was there for him. Rage has definitely left him by now, his mind boggled by this new treatment. "Yeah…thank you,"

His answer appeased the rifleman. "Great, now I have something to do around here." He smiled before leaving Berwald to his own devices. "Take care now," he said lightly.

 _I will…_

The Swede spent the rest of the day looking after Peter and Erland as they spouted on about and weighed in on his fight, lounging around on his cot, whittling a bit on a piece of driftwood, and playing with Hanatamago when she found him until it was time for dinner and he ultimately headed in for the night. The day started out rather rough, but ended up better than most on the ship. It was a small thing, but Berwald felt pampered that day.


	7. In Your Eyes

**Song Title: In Your Eyes** by **Kylie Minogue**

* * *

Time passed without much action again, but Berwald was kept busy as he incorporated sparring practice into his daily tasks until one day he was deemed ready to move onto firearms. Before that, he trained using the melee weapon gifted to him by the captain - a long steel staff. Bitterly, he found that he was quite adept at using it, and that it suited his fighting style nicely. The North Sea King had an eye for matching talent to weapon it seemed…

For some reason, Berwald got excited when he heard that the Reaper himself would be teaching him. It was a much-welcomed break from the exuberant and brutal Dane and his lessons. So when he was visited by the Finn with equipment in hand one afternoon when they stopped at a port, he was more than willing to start. The two walked along the shoreline in relative silence to a destination far away from town so they could practice.

The Reaper settled on a large field near the edge of town and began setting up. He worked meticulously, deciding not to wear his mask should someone stumble upon them and knew who he was.

Berwald watched curiously as the smaller blond did everything in a practiced motion. The space was nice and peaceful, a cool breeze blowing through the grass.

Empty wooden crates were placed at various intervals next to each other and at different distances. On top of them were empty bottles of alcohol used as targets and below laid a large cloth.

"It's easier to clean the shattered pieces like this," the Reaper explained when Berwald eyed the tarp. "Emil wants to collect them for his artillery cannonballs."

The Swede quickly discovered that the other's method of teaching was completely different from Mathias'.

When everything looked ready and it was time to start, the Reaper motioned for Berwald to have a seat on one of the crates. "I know it was the captain's orders for you to start firearms training," he began. "But if you don't want to, you don't have to do this."

Berwald blinked. He was being given a choice?

"Like I said, I don't want to put you through anything you're not comfortable with."

The blond opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before being able to stammer out "I…I want to," He remembered Lovino telling him that the Reaper once killed a crew member who underwent the exact same type of training he was going through right now.

 _Is he testing me?_

He looked into those jaded amethyst eyes but saw that they held no malice against him. If anything, they seemed concerned for his well-being.

"All right then, well," The platinum blond strolled over to him, offering Berwald the rifle he carried over his shoulder. They didn't have enough firearms to go around at the moment. "Most people are excited about holding a gun for the first time. Would you like to just go crazy with it for a bit? I'll watch,"

Berwald shook his head, not trusting himself with the firearm. "Dunno how to use one,"

The Reaper wore a curious expression but kept his musings to himself. He chuckled a bit as he sat on a crate across from the Swede with rifle in hand. "Okay, then let's begin. I apologize for the boring lecture, but I would like to cover the basics first – especially safety," he gave him a small smile. "Because the most unfortunate thing to happen is to have your own weapon harm you."

The blond didn't mind listening to that soft voice as the Reaper explained the parts on the rifle and the proper way to handle the firearm. He was shown how to load the weapon and absorbed as much of this new knowledge as he could. He had no idea how many ways firing the weapon could go wrong.

When the lecture was done and it was time to shoot the targets, the Reaper demonstrated to Berwald the proper stance to take and the actual firing of the rifle.

"Keep your feet about a shoulder-width apart in a straight line and shoulders squared like this." He then aimed the gun at one of the nearby targets. "Try to keep both eyes open when you aim and pull the trigger the moment before you exhale - your shot is most accurate during that time. Once you fire, you'll feel a small recoil so hold your position for a bit longer for a clean follow-through, like so," In a few seconds, the Reaper was quiet as he concentrated. The moment he fired the rifle, a tall beer bottle shattered and fell to the floor. The Finn then turned to Berwald and smiled, holding the rifle up to him once he reloaded it. "Now it's your turn,"

The Reaper made it look so easy. It wasn't.

Shot after failed shot, Berwald couldn't even hit the targets closest to him. The bullet wasn't going where he wanted it to and the recoil of the gun was a new sensation to him. The bottles were too far away, blurry in the distance. Everything was going against him.

But the Reaper was patient and encouraging. "Don't worry, you're doing great. Take your time on your target; it takes practice. I'm sure if you keep this up, you'll be better than me in no time,"

Berwald highly doubted that last sentence. After seeing the stunts the Reaper can pull, the man was in a league of his own…The guy has a perfect aim even when he's flying through the air while he couldn't even hit a still target!

The Swede was so focused on trying to at least hit the crate the bottles were sitting on that he didn't notice the Reaper approaching him.

"Berwald?"

Said blond turned his head to face the other when he called his name, hands still tight on the rifle in slowly-rising frustration. He was a patient man, but those bottles were outright mocking him at this point.

The Reaper gave him a smile before saying "Please try to relax a bit, maybe it'll help if I adjusted your stance a bit?"

"Mmn." Berwald nodded his head with a grunt...anything to blast those bottles into pieces. He felt gloved hands gently on him as the Finn angled his body this way and that. It slid over his hunched shoulders and rolled them back. Tan boots knocked against his own brown and embroidered ones as the Reaper encouraged him to bring his feet out a little bit farther apart. His arms were straightened and posed by those guiding hands, and Berwald was beginning to forget what this was all for, feeling the tender touches a bit too much until they left his body.

 _This feels nice…_ Berwald caught himself thinking and shook off the notion before it could linger any longer in his mind.

"Okay, one more thing," the Reaper left his side to push the closest crate to them even closer. When he returned he gave him the okay to try again.

He still missed by a long shot, not even hitting the wooden crate beneath. Berwald grumbled incoherently.

"Hmm," the rifleman was closely watching him now. He continued to push the crate closer to the Swede without it being right in front of him in intervals.

Berwald didn't see the point in that, each push a small insult to him. Squinting his cyan eyes menacingly, he fired yet again at the close target and heard glass shattering.

"You did it! What an amazing shot, Berwald!"

 _I…did it? I shot something?_

The realization of his feat and the praise given to him made the blond feel warm inside, his lips curling into a small smile on their own.

"Do you think you can do that again? But this time, try not to squint. Keep your eyes open," the Reaper gently coaxed, pointing to his own amethyst eyes for emphasis. They held genuine respect and delight in them.

The taller blond obliged and prepared to fire again, excited. His optimism deflated fast however when he missed again…the previous shot probably a fluke. He turned around dejectedly to his mentor. It was then that he was met with violet orbs staring intensely at him, boring straight into his soul. They searched his features, specifically his eyes. Berwald was starting to feel warm again under the scrutinizing gaze, but found that he could not look away and break eye contact. The other had a distant look to him, as if deep in thought. Their bodies were close to each other again.

Neither said anything for a moment.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," the Reaper apologized when he sensed the other's discomfort. "Don't feel bad, Berwald. I'm sorry I pressured you like that. You are doing an excellent job and your stance is spot on!" He turned a bit to scan the hit target and the distance between it and them. The Finn then smiled as he suggested "I think that's enough for one day. We covered a lot this afternoon, so why don't we stop here for now? We'll be in town for a few more days, so we can pick this up again tomorrow if you want,"

"Mm, okay." Berwald agreed easily, feeling like he has embarrassed himself in front of the Reaper enough for a lifetime. A warm hand on his shoulder snapped him out of his reverie.

"These things take time, so don't be so hard on yourself. You're doing great, Berwald. You're a fast learner; I know you'll get the hang of it soon."

Again, Berwald didn't know how to take all of these compliments in. It was definitely something the captain and his former boss never said to him earnestly. Did the Reaper really believe in him? In what he can do?

 _Does he really think that of me?_

The platinum blond swiftly cleared the area up and they were back on the shoreline near late afternoon. "It's pretty, isn't it?" The Reaper tried striking conversation as their boots left prints in the soft sand. He motioned towards the glistening teal waters of the sea with the tip of his black hat.

Small waves rose and crashed gently against the shoreline, pushing frothy white foam towards their boots before being pulled back into the ocean once more.

"Nhn. Thank you…fer teachin' me," he mumbled softly, his gratitude expressed a little late as always. "I'll try harder next time."

The Reaper slowed in his steps but continued towards the ship, shifting the crates in his arms and rifle on his shoulder. He smiled faintly as he turned his head around for a second. "I like your enthusiasm. And no need to thank me - it's my pleasure."

* * *

Berwald would be lying to himself if he said that he wasn't looking forward to rifle training. When Peter heard what he has been up to, the young pirate turned green with envy and demanded to know why he was given lessons by his role model and not him. The poor Swede didn't have an answer to that and suffered a thrashing from the lad in order to prove to the Reaper that he was going to be the greatest pirate the world has ever seen. Thankfully, said Reaper heard what the fuss was about and placated the boy by offering him candy and the promise that he would teach him once he got older and became taller than Berwald. Peter swore to do everything in his power to grow up faster and taller from that day forward.

On the last day they would be staying at this port, the two made their way to their destined spot and set up practice quickly. Berwald was getting the hang of the routine and was ready to be ridiculed by the empty bottles yet again when the Reaper appeared beside him.

"Berwald, before you start today, why don't you put these on?" The smaller male placed a pair of wire-rimmed glasses into his hands.

"Hm?" Berwald gingerly inspected the accessory. The steel frame was square and the lenses polished – they were not cheap. He didn't even know he was nearsighted until he placed the glasses on his face and his vision was given a new life. Apparently, the Finn figured that out as well after their training sessions. Berwald saw clearer, better, farther. The bottles of alcohol were no longer floating orbs and mass on a tan rectangle. He saw the texture of the wooden crates, the sheen of the bottles when the sun reflected off them at a certain angle. The blades of grass were sharper and more defined below them. And then there was the Reaper.

"What do you think? How are you feeling?"

The Swede couldn't help placing a hand over his mouth in silent awe.

He could better see the features of the rifleman now. Those violet eyes were so brilliant, ashen but holding a deep and rich color to them. There were thin, dark rings under those eyes, indicating lack of sleep and fatigue. His skin was still porcelain and smooth. The man looked even more stunning than before with his improved sight - sight that has been bestowed upon him by said man.

"…Better," he managed to utter. "But why? When? These are expensive,"

"I had them made in town a couple of days ago. You see better now though, right? That's all that matters." The Reaper smiled with his eyes closed. "Don't worry about it, as long as it helps you see, it's worth every coin,"

"I'll pay ya back,"

"No, no, don't bother," the platinum blond raised a white gloved hand. "You need to save up to get off the ship, remember?"

The man was right. "Are you sure?" Berwald asked warily. He knew better than to take things for free, especially something this valuable from a pirate.

"Absolutely."

"Thank you, Reaper." He remembered to thank him in a timely manner this time.

"You're very welcome."

The glasses helped, but that didn't mean it solved all his problems. Berwald still couldn't quite knock the targets out, but he was getting closer. The bullets nicked the sides or top of the bottles and he was hitting the crates more often now. That was something worth celebrating, right? But when he did hit one of the bottles near the front, the Reaper would be sure to acknowledge and praise him. It made him feel…special, like he did something right for a change.

"Say, Berwald?"

"Hm?" He was in the middle of reloading the rifle.

A gentle breeze blew past them and created waves on the low grass.

"What will you do once you pay for your freedom?" The Reaper suddenly asked him, his legs crossed as he sat on one of the empty crates, eyes trained on the Swede.

Berwald lowered the firearm a bit. He didn't dare look into those curious violet eyes lest he wanted to reveal his soul to the other man again.

"Where will you go?"

The blond actually didn't know and admitted it to the Reaper, a bit timid and wary that the captain will find out and attempt to capture him again.

"I see," the Finn said understandingly.

Berwald has lost track of how long he has been detained by the pirates…months…maybe even half a year now? Did he even want to leave anymore? What will he do afterwards? Go back to being a laborer or rough trade? He didn't think that far ahead, focused solely on getting off the ship. His brows furrowed and expression turned grim as he thought about it. He didn't know…

But the Reaper didn't pry any further, leaving it at that. "Well, wherever you go, I hope that some of the things you learn here can help you in some way."

The field was then filled with the sound of gunfire again.

* * *

It was back out to sea again for the Draugen. Because of this, the rifle lessons had to wait until they anchored once more. This meant it was back to melee weapon practice with the North Sea King…oh the joy. The captain insisted that Berwald needed to train consistently as to not forget what he's learned. But to be honest, Berwald was just content with hauling cargo than put up with the Dane's antics. The novelty of fighting Mathias all the time faded fast and instead became tiring and not worth the effort at one point. It was times like those that reaffirmed Berwald's determination to run away as soon as possible. But then there were times after the fighting and he was done with all his other tasks in which he second-guessed himself. The Reaper's questions haunted him from time to time. What was he going to do after all this? Where would he end up?

Berwald thought to himself on this matter on his cot, whittling away at a piece of driftwood he found not so long ago. He had learned the basics of the skill back at the orphanage and kept at it in his spare time. It became a hobby even back at the brothel when there were slow nights. With a portion of the crew members now residing in their sister ship, there was much more space and privacy in the sleeping quarters. He rather much enjoyed the extra space and let his mind wander, hands deftly working on the driftwood and chipping off the rough edges and dried bark.

 **Arf! Arf!**

"Hanatamago," The Swede greeted the Maltese who slowly made her way to his cot near the end of the ship. She was no longer a white blob walking up to him with his new glasses. She nudged against his boots, pestering for his attention, which he immediately gave after putting down his handiwork.

The small white dog was sitting on his lap and being cuddled by him by the time the Reaper finally went downstairs and found her.

In mild irritation, the Finn crossed his arms across his chest as he eyed his dog. "Hana, what did I tell you about bothering Berwald?"

"I don't mind," Berwald interjected, petting the Maltese's curly fur. He received an encouraging bark in return.

"If you insist…" At this the Reaper stopped to notice what the taller blond has been doing. "Were you working on that?" he pointed a gloved finger at the woodwork.

"Mm, it's a hobby of mine," he shared, finding it easier and easier to converse with the other man. The smile sent his way sure helped.

"What are you making?" The Reaper leaned in closer, intrigue in his amethyst eyes.

"Dunno yet, haven't decided. I just started," He motioned towards the piece of driftwood that was just smoothed out. Then a thought occurred to him. "What's yer favorite animal?"

"Huh?" The question caught the other man off guard and he took a moment to answer. "Oh, uh…a bear I suppose,"

"Then I'll make that."

"What? Oh you don't have to…"

But it was too late and the Swede's mind was made up.

By now Hanatamago has gotten off Berwald's lap and was scooped into the platinum blond's arms instead where she laid her head against his chest and fell asleep.

The Reaper readjusted the small bandana on her head before taking a seat on the empty cot across from the other. He watched in immense fascination as the taller male resumed his work and picked up the small blade and driftwood again. Violet eyes remained fixated on those hands as they transformed the piece of wood into something resembling an animal. It was taking form before his very eyes and he said "You're so talented, Berwald. I wish I could do something like that," His voice was soft and light in order to not wake the Maltese.

At this the bespectacled blond's hands slowed in what they were doing. "Mhn."

This comment ran along the same line of compliments he heard before at his former job for his deeds and other "talent." He knew the customers' words were hollow and fake, saying anything in an attempt to get something more out of him…the praise no longer held any meaning to him. But when it came out of the Reaper's mouth, it was different. Berwald felt light and proud from those encouraging words. The other wasn't expecting anything for his compliment; he never did and has been giving them away freely since Berwald boarded the Draugen.

The Reaper continued to smile a bit and watch a slightly flustered Berwald in his craft when he heard a voice coming from the staircase.

"There you are, Reaper. The idiot told me to fetch ya – he wants to see you in his cabin." Emil poked his head in, a puffin sitting on his left shoulder.

The black bird looked over at the two before giving a raucous squawk.

When he saw the Finn rise from the cot and give him an acknowledging nod, he thought that was good enough of a response and his job was done. The Deacon turned around on the heels of his brown shoes and went all the way back up to his crow's nest.

"I have to go now," the smaller man said softly, shifting Hanatamago in his arms. He eyed Berwald sadly as he requested "Would it be too much trouble to leave her here with you while I'm gone?"

"Not at all."

The Reaper thanked him, planting a tender kiss behind the white dog's ear before gently laying her sleeping form on the cot next to Berwald's side. Soundlessly he was out of the sleeping quarters.

Berwald worked feverishly on the wooden carving, hoping to have it completed before the man returned.


	8. The Last Firstborn

**Song Title: The Last Firstborn** by **Celldweller**

* * *

"Ve, thank you for helping us, ReeRee!" Feliciano chirped gratefully. "Everyone was so busy and big brother didn't want to get his hands dirty with this so…"

"Oh it's my pleasure, Feli," the Reaper said as he held the harpoon in one hand, poised and ready to throw. "I haven't done this in a while, so it's a nice change,"

Lately, the Draugen and its crew have been running low on food. A recent storm came and went out of nowhere, taking with it a portion of the ship's supplies and rations. Apparently, this part of the sea was known for unnatural weather phenomenon. But it was the fastest route to where the captain wanted them to go. However, with a slash in their supplies, rations were reduced and the chef knew that the others were growing restless, hungry, and angry. They were still out at sea, nowhere near a port to resupply and so in an attempt to fix the problem, he recruited the help of Ludwig, Berwald, and the Reaper to help him catch today's dinner. The doctor and Berwald helped to lower and row the small escape boat that usually stayed strapped to the Draugen's side while Feliciano and the Reaper speared the fish. But after a few tries and leaving a couple of the harpoons to sink into the blue waters below, the Italian settled to make himself useful by chatting up a storm and telling the others what dish he would like to make with what kinds of fish.

"Oh look, there's one!" Feliciano alerted the Finn to a small school of cod fish nearby. He pointed enthusiastically at the brown scales that flickered and rippled in the water next to them.

"Quiet, Feli, or else you'll scare them away!" Ludwig said in a hushed whisper.

"Ve, I'm sorry Ludwig!" Feliciano panicked when he got scolded.

"Keep your voice down!"

Berwald remained silent as he watched the Reaper concentrate on the area the chef pointed at.

Soundlessly, he raised the harpoon at a certain angle before just as quietly hurling it.

The harpoon broke the surface of the sea with minimum splashing, zipping through the water and bringing about a flurry of fins and scales.

The startled group of cod splashed violently as they dispersed.

"Wow!" Feliciano beamed, getting ready to gather the fish into the barrel next to him once the Reaper reeled them in.

In a single throw, the rifleman was able to spear several cods through, their bodies flinching as they struggled to pry themselves off the harpoon.

The chef smiled as he asked "Say ReeRee, is there a particular dish you want me to make with these?"

"Oh, uh," The Reaper gave it a quick thought before hurling the harpoon again and reeling in a couple more. "I don't have a particular one in mind," He then looked towards the other two blonds on the boat and smiled. "Any suggestions?"

Berwald only shook his head. He wasn't picky at all when it came to this – everything that he has eaten on the Draugen have all been better than what he ate for majority of his life. He was not about to start becoming ungrateful. "Anything really,"

"Whatever you make, Feliciano, I'm sure it'll be delicious," Ludwig said quietly, averting his blue eyes from the chef's brown ones looking up at him curiously. "We all trust your judgment on this,"

The Italian smiled with his eyes closed. "Really?"

The doctor was fighting a blush from rising to his cheeks. "Ye-"

 **Clang! Clang! Clang!**

 _That sound…_

All the members on the little escape boat whipped their heads back toward the Draugen.

"How can that be?" Ludwig was baffled.

"What? I don't see anything," Feliciano looked out at the placid waters surrounding them before ultimately looking back at their pirate ship with the leviathan figurehead.

There were no incoming ships on the horizon.

"How are we under attack?"

Without being told to do so, the two blonds rowed furiously back towards the Draugen.

"They're boarding!" Someone on the main ship yelled loud enough so that the four could hear. They were still several yards away.

Assuming his role as their rifleman, the Reaper instinctively reached down under the wooden seat of the small vessel, pulling up a rifle loaded and ready to fire. He stood tall as the boat continued to rock to and fro while making its way back. But when he raised the firearm and concentrated on the targets on the ship, his grip faltered a bit. "Why…? They're fighting amongst themselves…?"

"A mutiny?" the doctor suggested.

"What? Why? I can't see!" The chef began to panic, squinting to see the chaos raging on the Draugen.

Craning his head back just enough to see behind him at the same time not disrupt his rowing, Berwald was able to make out crewmates struggling with each other – both parties were familiar faces.

The Finn continued to take aim, evaluating the situation before finally pulling the trigger and hitting someone from afar. With speed and efficiency, he quickly reloaded the rifle and shot again before the escape boat was near the hull of the Draugen. Once they were close enough, the Reaper dropped the rifle in favor of his twin pistols on each side of his waist. The platinum blond immediately set into action, using a grappling hook also left on the boat and latching it onto the polished rails of the massive ship. It was the fastest way to board at the moment.

"ReeRee…"

Before setting out, the aforementioned man gave the other three passengers one last look. His porcelain face was expressionless, his voice calm but stern as he said "I'm going on ahead. Please stay here and watch over each other while I'm gone,"

Ludwig nodded curtly. When it came to battles, he and the Italian brothers tried to stay out of it as much as possible. They were much more important after the fighting…although sometimes they had no say in the matter…

Berwald could do nothing but gaze up towards the deck, trying to decipher the situation.

 _What's going on up there?!_

"Be careful, ReeRee," Feliciano pouted.

At this the Reaper's features softened and he promised "I will. Stay safe okay, Feli?" And with that he leapt off the small boat, pulling on the rope attached to the grappling hook and using it as leverage to run along the hull of the Draugen. He eventually gained enough momentum and landed on the rails, drawing his flintlock pistols. Above him next to the steering wheel he heard Emil's voice calling out to him.

"It's a mutiny…" the younger male said flatly as he removed his small curved blade from a gruff crewmate's torso. Some of the guts and contents from the stomach spilled out onto his navy vest, but the man didn't mind.

"Squawk! A mutiny! Squawk!" the second mate's puffin repeated. He was sitting on his owner's left shoulder, peering at the gutted man next to Emil's feet with his beady black eyes.

A blood-curdling yell of anguish was heard not far from where the two were standing.

"They are the men who moved to the white ship," Lukas informed them, having just parried a blow with his rapier and piercing the attacker's throat. Once he extracted Grim from his victim, the noble pirate pulled out a delicate white napkin from his light blue coat and wiped the weapon clean of blood. The napkin quickly turned red. "We've been too lax on them and left them to their own accord for too long," he said disapprovingly.

"They think they're their own crew," Emil's voice was equally strained, magenta eyes dark with a quiet anger.

"Where's the captain?" the Reaper inquired.

"I don't know. Last I saw him he was sleeping in his cabin." Lukas narrowed his eyes at a thought and his grip on the gold handle of his rapier tightened. "Of course they would attack us while that imbecile was asleep and you were away from the ship…"

"They've been waiting for this?!" Emil's voice was most incredulous.

"So it seems…" The Reaper leapt off the rail and landed onto the deck. Now that he was informed of the situation, there was the matter of quelling it. "I'll find the captain. Will you two be all right?"

"Oh, don't you worry about us, Reaper. We'll be fine on our own," Lukas replied lowly. He was composed, but his usually dull navy eyes were alight with something akin to rage.

"Go and find that idiot brother of ours, he won't be happy to what he wakes up to." Emil added wistfully, mouth twisting into a smirk as he twirled the Bitter Touch dripping with blood in his left hand. The other free hand went up to play with his gold hoop earring, twiddling it neurotically.

With his orders clear, the Reaper nodded his understanding and set off further onto the deck. He didn't know he would be stopped so soon.

"ReeRee!" Peter's voice called out for him.

"Shut up, brat!" A man with a braided beard grabbed the young boy by the neck tie. He stiffened when he saw the Reaper flit towards him. "Not a step closer, Reaper!" he threatened, holding Peter up. "Or I'll snap his little neck!"

The rifleman immediately halted in his tracks, face stern as he eyed the traitor.

"Drop yer weapons, now!" The mutineer demanded, addressing the Finn's white and blue pistols.

The Reaper did just that, unable to do much else while Peter was being held hostage. Kuutamo and Huurre fell to the floorboards with a heavy clack.

The poor boy looked so frightened.

"It'll be all right, Peter," the Reaper offered softly, his amethyst eyes reassuring as they peered into Peter's ocean blue ones to calm him.

The blond hiccupped, on the verge of tears as he was held by the gruff pirate.

The mutineer sneered while he pulled out his own pistol from its holster. "Now killin' ya would be a piece of cake! I'll be the one to kill the legendary Reaper!"

"Run ReeRee!" Peter shouted when the man pulled the trigger.

But after the sound of gunfire resonated, the rifleman remained standing. The bullet landed next to his left boot.

"Damn you!" The bearded pirate held onto Peter tighter in his right arm. "Stand still and lemme shoot ya or I'll just kill the boy-!" The mutineer's head completely detached from his body and fell limp, revealing a tall blond in a black long coat and eye patch.

"Captain…" The Reaper quickly retrieved his weapons now that the threat was eliminated.

"Uncle Matt-!" Peter turned around to thank his role model, but cowered before what he saw.

Mathias had come up behind the mutineer taking Peter hostage and chopped his head clean off with a single swing of his axe. The metal blade was painted with the fallen pirate's blood as the North Sea King hoisted the weapon over his shoulder. "You pathetic pissant!" Without even looking at the young boy, the Dane growled and cursed at the dead body. In his fury, he kicked the decapitated head with his brown boot and watched it sail over the rails of the ship before disappearing out of sight.

Peter whimpered, taken aback by the action and words. He only nodded numbly when his savior addressed him, the captain's blue eye bright and livid. He dared not approach the man any closer, fixated in his spot next to the body bleeding profusely from its neck.

"Now wasn't that just an awesome kill, eh Peter?" Mathias' voice was high with madness, his smile toothy as he eyed the younger blond. There was blood pooling around a stab wound near his torso that dyed his beige undershirt a bright crimson.

A bit further down the ship, a similar struggle was occurring between Erland and another mutineer. The burly pirate had the redhead by the wrist and was wringing him like a fish.

The Reaper was quick and about to head that way when he saw that it wasn't necessary. "Berwald?"

The Swede had climbed back on board the ship and charged at the two. He was currently mauling the mutineer with his steel staff, only faintly remembering that it was the same man he was pit up against when Mathias forced him to spar on the deck some time ago. His expression was grim and terrifying as he tore Erland away from the other's clutches. Of all the pirate battles he could have gotten into, the first one he was actively engaged in was against the men he once worked alongside with…

"Ber…" Erland looked up at the taller blond in disbelief.

Berwald could not believe what he was doing, what he was getting himself into. But he just couldn't sit still in the safety of the small boat while the screams and yells of the crewmates resonated above him. He had to do something, and was so glad he did when he saw Erland grabbed by the hostile crewmate.

The North Sea King's maniacal laughter could be heard all throughout the Draugen, over the fights and chaos breaking out on board it. He eyed the Reaper expectantly. "Now that that's settled," He strolled towards the rifleman, leaving blood red boot prints behind him. "There's nothin' holdin' ya back now. GO...KILL...THE TRAITORS!" he ordered. "Kill them all, Reaper! And don't you dare spare a single one or show them a shred of mercy!"

"Yes, captain." The Finn bowed slightly and then he was off.

"As for you, Berwald," Mathias bellowed across the ship so that the Swede could hear. "Take the kids somewhere safe - the storage room oughta do it. Once yer done I want ya to start throwing the bodies overboard. Not a single limb is to be left behind, understood?" All the mirth usually found in the Dane's voice was gone, an authoritative and cruel tone taking its place.

Berwald knew this was no time to be rebellious.

The killing intent has returned in the captain's eye.

He merely nodded and grunted his understanding, collected himself, and looked down at Erland. "Let's go."

"Why you…!" The traitor who had just held the redhead hostage struggled to get up, holding his bruised face. He glared at Berwald through a black eye.

The blond readjusted the glasses on his face and held the metal staff in front of him.

 **Bang!**

The burly pirate never got up again this time.

Berwald turned around wide-eyed.

"Are you all right?" the Reaper appeared silently next to the two. He didn't wait for an answer as he continued to fire off rounds into oncoming mutineers. "I'm sorry, but I cannot let them live."

Near and far, the former crewmates' bodies hit the floorboards, unmoving.

After he had fired off all his rounds from his flintlock pistols, the Reaper decided to pillage the weapon from the dead pirate near them and held the cutlass steadily. He turned to Berwald. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

The bespectacled blond nodded affirmatively. He had no choice in the matter. "I have to."

The Reaper looked troubled. "If you're not comfortable with killing them, leave them to me and I'll take care of it." He then leaned in closer to Berwald and whispered so that only he could hear him. "Watch over Peter and Erland. Keep them safe…and don't let them see," he warned cryptically.

And before Berwald even realized it, the Finn backed away and flitted past him. He nodded numbly before taking Erland by the hand and meeting up with Peter.

The poor blond boy was still glued to the same spot where the mutineer had dropped him, a pool of blood surrounding him and drenching his black shoes. "B-Ber…" he squeaked when he saw the taller man's shadow.

Berwald picked him up and held him in one arm as he escorted the two boys down the stairs that led to the lower levels of the ship. Before the deck was completely out of sight, the blond turned around just in time to see the captain swinging Maelstrom wildly and hacking away at a former subordinate. The Dane's laughter followed them all the way down until they were in a hallway.

"W-Why are they attacking us? We're friends, aren't we?" Erland couldn't wrap his head around what was happening.

"I…I don't know…" Peter stammered, clinging onto the material of Berwald's beige coat.

It was starting to become apparent to the Swede now. The two young boys, although taken aboard, had the romantic idea of what it meant to be a pirate. The exact same stories Berwald has heard before by those who visited the brothel – the ones in which everything was going to have a happy ending. What neither of the boys didn't know and what he had to go through personally back when he was on board his former employer's ship was that there were hardships before the ending. There might not even be a happy ending, such as in the Swede's case. There was struggle, pain, terror, and blood. The boys seemed fine with the violence from a distance, watching in the comfort and safety of the ship. But when it was too close to home, when they could smell the blood wafting around them, see the guts and flesh torn open, when they were up against pirates who genuinely wanted to kill them, they weren't ready.

The Reaper's warning became apparent.

Not only did he not want the two boys to suffer at the hands of the enemy, but the rifleman also didn't want them to see the carnage their own friends, their role models, were capable of causing.

Berwald said as he led Erland and Peter to the empty storage room "Stay here. It'll be over soon."

"Wait, Ber!"

He tried to give them a reassuring look and ruffled their hair. "Don't worry, the Reaper is takin' care of everything," he attempted to comfort them.

"ReeRee's still out there?"

Berwald nodded.

This fact seemed to calm Peter down a bit, but Erland was still dubious.

"Y-Yeah! He'll beat the bad guys! What about you, Ber?"

At this the bespectacled man averted his gaze but held on tightly to his steel weapon. "Yeah…I will too…" he said slowly.

The blond boy tried his best to give his taller companion a confident smile. "Then go get 'em, Ber! Hit 'em once for me and Erland!"

"Yeah!" the redhead finally had the courage to say.

"Mm. I'll come get ya when it's safe." Berwald promised before closing the door behind him. He sighed heavily. The second part of his job was about to begin, and he was already behind.

The Reaper did his job well.

Along with the help of the remaining loyal crewmates, many of the mutineers have already been killed. Their bodies lined the hallways as Berwald leaned down to pick up as many as he could without becoming overburdened, going up the stairs and onto the deck to cast them into the water.

It wasn't like carrying and loading cargo.

It was a morbid and horrible experience.

The bodies felt so heavy for some reason. The smell of death around him was even heavier as he repeated his routine throughout the ship, floor to floor, room to room.

Once he passed by Lovino who turned his nose up in disgust at the sight of the bodies in the hallway and cursed. There was fear poorly suppressed in his hazel eyes. The older sibling had seen the Reaper swoop in like a gale and slit the men's throats, some of the blood spilling onto the Italian's apron. "That freak…" the Swede heard him mutter as he passed him to pick up the corpses there.

Berwald's own clothes were slowly beginning to seep red with the dead's blood. Thankfully, he didn't come across any mutineers who were still living, as he wasn't sure if he had the heart to kill, even if it was to defend himself. When he went up once again with a couple of bodies in his arms, he was greeted with a sight.

"Ready the cannons!" Emil ordered, pointing his silver dagger in the direction of the white ship they have stolen. "Fire!"

 **Boom!**

The thunderous and piercing sound of cannons being fired reverberated on the ship.

The surviving traitors, seeing as though their coup failed, cut off the boarding planks and were retreating from the Draugen and back onto the smaller vessel. But the artillery thrown at them hit squarely in their hull, causing water to slowly enter the ship.

"We need full sails, Emil. They're trying to make a run for it," Lukas observed.

The pursuit was short-lived as the Draugen was upon the white ship in minutes with all its sails unfurled. The leviathan figurehead loomed menacingly over the traitors.

"Fire the cannons again, and use the shrapnel cannonballs!" The second mate smirked. "We'll sink 'em this time."

The white ship soon disappeared under the blue sea, many of the mutineers jumping overboard in a desperate attempt to swim away.

But that was where the Reaper came in again, rifle in hand. He, along with the remaining loyal crewmates who could still fight, stood along the rail of the deck. Taking aim, the rifleman shot down any surviving traitors in the water.

It morbidly reminded Berwald of how the other speared the fishes earlier that day - with precision and efficiency.

The Finn didn't stop until only their bodies bobbed or sunk in deep, dark red waters below them. His face was solemn the whole time, silent as a grave. There was no movement in the water by the time he was done.

"So ya thought you could kill me in my sleep, eh?!"

When an eerie silence fell upon the Draugen as the chaos subsided, everyone turned towards their captain when they saw the spiky-haired blond dragging something behind him.

It was a man – bound by the wrists and legs with rope and a ragged look to him. One of his eyes was already clouded over and some gashes adorned his chest. He was coughing but other than that remained mute, utterly defeated and his men all killed.

"Ya know, I'm a pretty good captain," Mathias started, throwing the man into the center of the deck.

The remaining crew members, including Berwald, crowded around the two.

Curiosity got the better of the Swede and he paused in his morbid work to observe what the ruckus was all about.

"I can be lenient…" His blue eye darted at the "leader" of the attempted coup in front of him. "But if there's one thing I can't stand…it's mutiny!" He spat at the bound man, who seemed like he was dead already. The North Sea King was furious beyond measure. Without warning he raised his pole axe over his head and brought it down on the traitor.

 **Splat!**

The poor pirate could hardly worm out of the way before he was nearly spliced open vertically. The blade sunk into the crown of his head and kept going down until it stopped near his chest. His body twitched and oozed blood from the two split ends. Some of it splashed onto the captain's face and coat.

No one dared utter a word among the crowd.

 _Oh dear gods!_

Suddenly Berwald wished he couldn't see so well again. He could see all the carnage so clearly now, the blood so thick and red, the flesh torn open to reveal bone and organs. It was making him nauseous, bile rising up to his throat. It burned as he swallowed it back down. He was doing fine handling the dead bodies until now.

"You bastard!" The captain brought the axe down on the mangled corpse again and again. He was hacking away at the body until the mutineer was unrecognizable. The blond didn't stop even as it began to storm all around them, the rain carrying the spilled blood over to the side of the ship where it dripped off into the sea. Then suddenly the captain looked up to turn to his remaining men and pointed at the late traitor with his weapon. "Let this be an example for all of you!" he snarled, blue eye shining despite the dark clouds overhead. "Let's make sure this is the last mutiny I see."

Berwald took a furtive glance around the crowd and immediately saw that the pirates' faces were strewn with fear.

Except for Lukas, Emil, and the Reaper.

Lukas and Emil wore the same expression as their brother but were a bit more controlled. However, their eyes were the same - burning with animosity, as if Mathias' voice called out to something shared among the three.

The Reaper, standing in the distance, held a blank expression on his face. His amethyst eyes were unfeeling and void as he stared at the pile of flesh and skin. The rain streamed down those pale cheeks in rivulets, creating the illusion that the man was crying.

No one was the least bit concerned that it started to rain harder and thunder was booming across the sea.

The captain then let out a strangled cry that was nearly inaudible due to a clap of thunder. It was a heartbroken and pained wail, one full of regret. He continued to slash the corpse. "Why?! Damn you! After all we've been through!" His breathing was ragged as he continued swinging his axe. "I trusted you!"

It was strange, but at that moment Berwald was beginning to feel sorry for Mathias rather than terrified of him. The man looked so broken and torn, his wrath crumbling into deep sorrow.

When the whole mutiny finally came to a close and the tension dissipated, the three brothers went back to their respective rooms and locked themselves up for the rest of the day.

The Reaper took command, being the point of contact for any issues. He pacified the remaining crew members and the ship's operations resumed shortly afterwards. A substitute was placed behind the steering wheel and guided the Draugen along its charted course. The last of the bodies were thrown overboard, fed to the sharks that have smelled the blood and death and were in a feeding frenzy below them.

Berwald threw his last corpse along with the contents in his stomach over the rail, the beasts below paying him no mind in favor of tearing the limbs of the traitors apart. He hardly gave himself time to heave and wiped away the rancid substance off his lips before heading downstairs to retrieve the two boys and then help in the kitchen.

The mutiny took with it about a third of the Draugen's crew. This meant that although there were fewer mouths to feed, they were also understaffed. Therefore, every surviving crew member had to work harder to make up for his lost kin. Their food problem still remained, however.

Before the Swede knew it, day turned into night and dinner was served. There was less on everyone's plate than usual.

"Ve, Ber, do you mind bringing ReeRee his dinner?" Feliciano had set aside a portion of the fish he made on a silver tray. "Ludwig and I are gonna go deliver the captain, Nyk, and the Deacon their meals,"

"Mmn."

"Do you know where Reaper's room is, Berwald?" Ludwig asked to make sure.

The taller blond nodded. "Yeah, I'll go on ahead," he took the tray and walked out.

"Okay!"

When Berwald was in the grand hall and in front of the door that was slightly opened, he knocked tentatively.

"Yes? Come in," the Reaper's voice floated through the oak door. There was a creak and sound of movement on the other side. "It's not locked."

Berwald pushed the door fully open with tray in hand. "Yer dinner's ready,"

Upon seeing who it was that visited him, the Reaper's smile brightened up a bit, as if happy to see the Swede. "Wonderful! Thank you, Berwald." He set aside the map he was looking at on his desk next to his twin pistols.

Outside the windowpane, the skies were still dark with clouds and rain pattered mercilessly against the glass.

 _He looks so tired…_ Berwald observed when he got closer to set the tray down on the Finn's desk.

Although they were warm and welcoming again, the Reaper's eyes were also sunken, jaded and overworked in the lantern light. He looked like he hasn't slept in days. His smile was weak as he asked "Did you eat yet, Berwald?"

He nodded his head. There wasn't much to eat anyway, and he had given some of his food to Peter, Erland, and the younger crew members. They needed it more than he did.

"Are you sure? Here," The Finn picked up the silver fork on the tray and began cutting up a portion of the fish. "Take this piece for yourself. You fought hard and well today, so you deserve it."

Berwald didn't know whether he should accept or not. He was still hungry, but it wasn't right that the other should starve on his behalf.

The platinum blond picked up on his hesitation and added "I don't eat much anyway." He then offered Berwald a small, sad smile. "I think I'll head in early tonight. Hopefully when we make it to the next town, things will get better,"

"Are you gonna be all right? Do you need help with anything?" Berwald offered without thinking. But then a wave of doubt hit him. Although he never understood the concept of loyalty or knew the traitors very well or for very long, the Reaper did…and was ordered to kill each and every last one of them…And kill them the rifleman did…

The Reaper followed his captain's order without question.

If Berwald were to try something…if the order was given by Mathias to kill him…

 _Would he…?_

The spiraling thought unnerved him, sending chills down his spine but he refused to acknowledge it; he couldn't spare to think that way when those soft violet eyes were looking at him like that. Instead, he tried to focus on helping the man.

 _The feeling must be unbearable…_

"Huh?" The Reaper blinked a couple of times, thrown off by the sudden questions. "Oh, no," he said slowly, his voice gentle. "This is only a temporary arrangement. Everything should be back to normal soon," He was just about done with his portion of the meal.

The man standing found that he couldn't take his eyes off the other as he ate, the same hands that held a rifle just a few moments ago now daintily bringing the silverware up to thin lips. It transfixed him.

"I'll be fine. Thank you for your concern, Berwald," The Reaper looked up gratefully into those cyan eyes, a small smile on his lips.

 _How is he still able to smile after all that?_

Berwald felt his body stiffen and heart flutter a bit inside his chest.

 _It must be the hunger_

"But I should be asking you that – how are you holding up? I'm sorry you had to witness all that…the captain doesn't take kindly to mutinies," he sighed softly. It was a light sound, but carried with it a tremendous burden and exhaustion.

The sound crushed Berwald's soul. "I'm…fine," he lied. Nothing was all right. The whole event had been horrible, utterly chaotic and traumatizing. What started out as an innocent fishing trip suddenly descended into madness and bloodshed in a few hours. The pure and senseless slaughter and pervading smell of death…it clung to Berwald, the Reaper, and the walls of the Draugen despite the crew's best attempts to clean it. It was embedded into the very oak wood the ship was made of. He didn't know if he could ever get used to such a volatile lifestyle that came with being a pirate. But he didn't want the other to worry – the Reaper was doing enough of that already. He didn't want to add to the burden and so for the rifleman's sake, kept his troubles to himself and remained strong. The fact that the Reaper even took the time to ask about his well-being was comforting enough for him.

"Are Peter and Erland all right? What about Feli and Ludwig? I haven't had the time to check up on them yet," The Reaper then remembered something. "I need to feed Hanatamago too…now where is she?"

"They're all fine; I'll feed Hana," Berwald spoke up when he saw the Finn rise from his seat at the desk. "Don't overwork yerself,"

The Reaper swayed a little from where he was standing, the tattered ends of his black coat swishing across the floorboards from the movement. He cocked an eyebrow at his visitor and asked dubiously "Are you sure? You don't have to-"

"I want to," Berwald cut in. "You need rest too."

The Finn smiled at him, his eyelids heavy with sleep. He gave out one last sigh before conceding. "Okay…if you insist,"

Berwald took the tray with half of the fish still on it. He then turned and was about to leave when a voice stopped him mid-stride.

"Thank you, Berwald. I really appreciate your help. And if anything comes up, please don't hesitate to let me know."

The Swede didn't dare turn back to face the Reaper. He just nodded to the doorframe in front of him and silently made his way out of the room. He didn't know what has gotten into him, but he felt light, conflicted, embarrassed, and flustered all at the same time. Who knew hunger could have such a profound effect on him? Yes, the blond has suffered bouts of hunger pangs before, but this was the worst one yet. Perhaps he really should eat the last of the fish the Reaper has so generously given to him…

After keeping his word and finding the whining Maltese stowed away in a crate near the kitchen, Berwald was able to feed her and put her at ease. She followed him to his cot where she slept on his chest. As he settled down himself, the blond found more coins than usual under his pillow that evening.


	9. Fairytale

**Song Title: Fairytale** by **Alexander Rybak**

* * *

Berwald didn't believe in fairytales.

Life wasn't like in the books and novels he saw sold at the bookstores in town. It was cruel, cold, and riddled with strife. Most of the time, life ended in tragedy and flickered away like a dying flame.

There were no such things as faes, ghosts, or any of those sorts that came to one's aid. In fact, if they were to exist, they would only add to one's suffering.

So it finally came to a point in which Berwald could no longer push away the suspicion as to why money kept appearing under his pillow once in a while.

Someone had to be behind it.

The blond could no longer keep his curiosity in check over this odd phenomenon that has occurred ever since he boarded the Draugen. He was kept busy since the mutiny a couple of days ago, but everything was stabilizing now. The three brothers have resumed their roles on the ship and the Reaper was allowed to retire.

They would be docking soon, having spotted land a few hours ago.

With a bit of spare time, Berwald made it his mission to uncover the mystery behind his cot. He remained near the stairwell that led to the sleeping quarters, pretending to tend to something or other around the hall and storage rooms. When he saw someone go down the stairs, he would follow, keeping his distance and an eye on them to see what they were doing. But for most of the morning, nothing productive came out of this little sting operation. All he got were wary glances from the innocent crewmates. The philanthropist might not even visit today. The bespectacled man was about to give it a rest and eat his meager lunch when something moved in the corner of his eye. It was a blur of black shadows that descended the steps of the wooden stairs nearly inaudibly…ghostly. Not wanting to take any chances, Berwald followed the spectre slowly, making sure the other was in the sleeping quarters before going down the stairs himself. He stopped at the last step of the stairwell, stationing himself there and looking out to the large space lined with cots.

The Reaper was walking down the aisle, passing the first few cots and making his way straight to the back.

Berwald immediately gave chase, moving as swiftly and soundlessly as possible to catch up to the Finn.

 _Is he…? What is he doing here? What does he want?_

The Reaper eventually reached his destination, a hand in a pocket of his black long coat pulling out a few coins to place under the pillow of a certain cot.

"…"

"Oh dear, it seems like I wasn't as sneaky as I thought," the Reaper suddenly spoke, not turning around just yet. He sensed Berwald walking up to him and knew he was caught. When the other was only a couple of feet away from him, he faced the taller blond and casually greeted him.

Berwald didn't know what to make of this now that he knew the source of the coins. He should've known…Again, he didn't have a follow-up plan. "I don't believe in the Tooth Fairy," he said flatly.

To this the Reaper chuckled hollowly. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were going to head in so early. Here," He held his white gloved hand out with the coins in them to the Swede. "Seeing as though you're here, I won't need to stuff them under the pillow."

Mechanically, Berwald's hand went up and watched as the other dropped the coins into his palm.

Their gloved fingers touched for a moment during the transfer.

 _He's warm…_

Was that the first time their hands ever made contact? Why did it matter to him all of a sudden?

"Why? I don't want this outta pity,"

The Reaper smiled sadly at him. "I'm sorry. The captain tricked you into serving us, and I feel responsible for it…I know it sounds selfish, but I want to help you earn your freedom,"

Berwald shook his head.

"Please accept this, for me if anything."

He didn't understand, why would the Reaper help him to such an extent?

 _Why is he doing all this…for me?_

"Usually I'd wait until later to drop it off, but I have to leave and go into town early today…as soon as we land," The rifleman would be gone for a while again. "Do you think you can watch Hanatamago again?" he requested.

The taller blond nodded his head numbly. This earned him another smile from the Reaper.

"Thank you. Think of this as payment for taking care of Hanatamago all those times before and in the future," the Finn offered before heading back up the stairs.

Berwald continued standing stock-still in his place near the cot, not knowing what to make of all this. Although one mystery has been solved today, another quickly took its place.

The Swede still didn't believe in the supernatural, but if they were real somehow, the Reaper was becoming more and more like his guardian angel.

* * *

 **Arf! Arf! Arf!**

Hanatamago incessantly barked to gain Berwald's attention, scurrying around the man's legs until he finally paid her heed.

"Hm? What is it, Hanatamago?" He had barely finished loading the barrels of fresh water on board when the Maltese came towards him. He picked her up in his arms, but she squirmed, demanding to be put back down.

 _Okay, she doesn't want to be held..._

"Are ya hungry?" He could have sworn he just fed her not so long ago. It was mid-afternoon at the port in the town past the sea with the unpredictable storms. They have anchored and were taking extensive time resupplying after their heavy loss.

The Reaper has been gone for three days now.

Hanatamago shook her head vigorously, skittish on her feet. She bit and pulled on the tassels of the golden sash dangling from Berwald's waist.

"What it is? What's wrong?" the dog's actions were baffling him.

Again she barked at him, pulling the sash between her teeth in a certain direction. Berwald was not making this easy for her.

Slowly, he took a step in the direction she was pulling in. This seemed like the right thing to do and so he continued walking in the same direction until Hanatamago pulled the other way. Berwald let himself be guided by the Maltese, the dog never letting go of his sash and pulling him along as she led them into the inner parts of the Draugen. It was an unusual sight for those who witnessed it when the Swede and Maltese passed by them - a human being walked by a dog. Berwald didn't know if he was more embarrassed from this or curious over what Hanatamago so desperately wanted him to go towards. The route she was taking soon became familiar - they were headed towards the hallway leading to the captain's cabin. This idea didn't sit well with the blond at all and he slowed in his steps, his eyebrow raised. "Where are you taking me?" He really didn't want to be here unless he needed to.

But Hanatamago would have none of that and nudged the man's leg with her head to encourage him to keep walking down the single path. She eventually took the lead again when she was sure her owner's friend was following her.

The white dog's pace was slow, but Berwald cautiously and anxiously followed her and stopped when they reached a certain door on the left side of the hall.

It was the door to the Reaper's room.

 _I don't understand..._

"Reaper's not back yet," Berwald told the dog. "But he will; we just have to wait,"

Disregarding the blond, Hanatamago went up to the oak door and scratched on it with her paws.

Questionably, Berwald tried the handle on the door and found it unlocked, pushing it open.

The Maltese rushed inside as fast as she could.

Berwald followed her, taking a tentative step inside the Reaper's room without the Finn in it.

 _I shouldn't be doing this_

It was basically an invasion of privacy and breaking in. What was to be done and found here? After all the man has done for him, going into the Reaper's room uninvited was a breach in his trust. He spun around on his heel and was about to leave Hanatamago to her own devices in her owner's room when she barked at him.

Her black beady eyes glared at the man, demanding that he come back this instant. She was at his feet again, grabbing onto the sash and leading him to the desk in the room.

As he was being dragged by the small dog, Berwald finally decided to inspect the Reaper's room in closer detail.

Much like the man himself, the room had a somber mood to it to say the least. The walls were painted black. But what was odd was that carved into them, tally marks in sets of five lined the entirety of the black wood, starting from the left side that spanned at least two walls and crawled towards the third one. A grand bed resting up against the left wall had a black comforter on top of it. But when Berwald looked up that wall in particular, he became slightly perturbed. Hanging along the wall above the bed were four skulls. The bespectacled blond could tell they came from real human beings - one of them was caved in, missing a piece of bone in the front. A couple of them still had their golden teeth and silver fillings perfectly intact on their jaws.

 _Why didn't I see those before?_

The window that Berwald saw the Reaper look through frequently was on the wall adjacent of the bed, facing the doorway. Rifles and various firearms leaned against the corner of the wall next to the bed. Some were stowed underneath the bed itself, the barrels peeking out a little. In a corner was a small chest and on the right wall was the work desk. Next to the desk rested a small bookshelf with a few old novels placed carelessly on their side on the shelves.

 **Arf! Arf!**

Hanatamago tried to get the Swede's attention again.

They were in front of the desk now.

Berwald looked down at the Maltese for further instructions. He still had no idea what he was doing or why she had brought him here.

The white dog then proceeded to slowly stand on her hind legs, leaning against the desk and straining to tap on one of the drawers with her front paws.

Getting a general idea of what the action meant, Berwald leaned down and pulled open the second drawer when Hanatamago moved herself out of the way.

The drawer revealed a few trinkets - bullets, small vials of medicine, a short knife and a piece of bone among others. One in particular caught the blond's eye - an elegant swan brooch.

 _Did this belong to a late love?_ He couldn't help but wonder.

As he turned the brooch over in his hand, he also noticed the small wooden bear he carved for the Reaper was also kept in here. Curiosity got the better of him and he rummaged a little bit through the collection until his hand landed on something flat in the far corner of the drawer.

Pulling it out to have a better look, Berwald discovered that it was a photograph. The black and white photo captured a small family of three members and a house pet. It only took a couple of seconds for the blond to figure out that he was looking at the Reaper's family and the Finn himself when he was younger. The Reaper in the picture was just a young lad barely ten years old, but his face and eyes were recognizable. He was holding a white puppy in his arms, looking at the camera with round innocent eyes and smiling from ear to ear. Behind him were his mother and father, sitting in quaint chairs next to each other, their faces kind and patient. The family was wearing plain working clothes in the picture, which was rather odd for a photo such as this one. Upon further inspection, although a bit off from the rest of her humble outfit, the mother in the photo had the same swan brooch Berwald just held pinned to her blouse. There was a simple background of a fireplace behind them, but their smiling and happy faces were the most prominent features of the photograph.

He let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding, his head feeling light.

Berwald took a few more moments just staring at the photograph, running his thumb over the crimpled and yellowed edges of the film, trying to get more out of it than just the image before putting everything back just as he had found them. He closed the drawer gently.

Hanatamago made no further complaints afterward, implying that he has done the right thing and that she has accomplished what she had set out to do.

"Thank you for showing me this," The blond kneeled down to pet the dog between her ears, ruffling the striped bandana on her head a bit. He received a small yip in return. As he scooped her up in his arms and led them back to the upper floors, Berwald's mind was reeling from what he just saw. He didn't know why Hanatamago led him to the Reaper's room, showing him all of the other's personal belongings, but he felt as if it was a privilege. The Maltese trusted him enough to reveal to him a bit more about her owner. He would honor this trust and keep this little incident a secret.

For a moment, Berwald was jealous – the Reaper had a family, a loving one at that…something the Swede never had the luxury of experiencing. But then a greater guilt tore at him for even thinking that and suddenly there was only sorrow.

The Reaper _had_ a family…what could have caused that sweet little boy in the photo to turn to a life of piracy and become one of the most notorious ones yet?

 _What happened?_

He still didn't know what all of it meant, or what Hanatamago wanted him to do with this newfound knowledge. But now he couldn't get the image of a Reaper genuinely smiling out of his head. The young platinum blond's eyes were filled with hope in that picture, bright and shining with a certain kind of mirth in them. Berwald never knew such an endearing smile was possible.

He wanted to see the other smile like that once again.

"Well fancy meeting you here, Ber!" A certain brash voice echoed in the hallway. It shattered the entirety of the tranquil moment Berwald was having and shook him from his mystified thoughts.

Berwald inhaled sharply. He was still uncomfortable around the other despite all this time. It unnerved him and made him tense wondering what was going through the captain's head each time they met.

Hanatamago became unusually cowed, her small body stiff in the blond's arms.

Mathias beamed when he approached the taller male, mirth returning into his sky blue eye since the mutiny a few days ago. "Now what brings ya here to these parts?" he winked. "Are ya lookin' fer some company?"

"No. Found Hana," he lied.

"Aww ya poor thing," the captain looked down at the Maltese. "Reaper's still gone, isn't he?"

She did not return his gaze and instead buried her face in Berwald's chest.

"Do you miss yer master?" He cooed at the unresponsive dog and then reverted his attention to the Swede. The gold chains clinked loudly as he bounded even closer to him. "And what about you, Ber? Missin' somebody? Are ya lonely too? I can change all that ya know…"

Berwald did nothing but stare the other down menacingly through his glasses. "No."

"Hmm," The North Sea King was in a pleasant mood today and so brushed off the rejection easily. "Tell ya what, seein' as though yer here, I'll just give ya yer pay ahead of time,"

Automatically Berwald held out a black gloved hand after readjusting Hanatamago in one arm.

The captain roughly grabbed his wrist after pulling out some coins from his black long coat and placing it into the awaiting palm. "Get yerself something lovely why don't cha?" He grinned as the taller blond yanked his hand away once the transaction was complete.

"Thanks." Berwald spat out bitterly before pushing past him in the hallway, wanting to put as much distance between them as possible...but not before hearing one last thing from the captain.

"Oh anytime, Ber, it's my pleasure."

Mathias' touch was nothing at all like the Reaper's. It was gruff and cold, not at all comforting like the man who was not on the ship at the moment.

As he continued to watch over Hanatamago for the rest of the day and fed her dinner, in the back of his mind Berwald hoped the Reaper would return soon.


	10. The House of the Rising Sun

**Song Title: The House of the Rising Sun** by **The Animals**

* * *

"Hey, Ber!"

Something was jabbing at the man's cheek.

"Ber!"

Now something was poking at his other cheek.

"Do ya think he saw a ghost?" Erland pondered, still jabbing at the Swede.

"Nah, the Draugen isn't haunted," Peter replied as he waved a hand in front of the bespectacled man's face.

The oldest blond remained unresponsive, his cyan eyes staring at something in the distance on the port.

It was early morning, the sky nice and clear above. The crew was still busy loading and gathering supplies onto the ship. The three were out on the deck, just finished tying some of the crates down when suddenly the man seized up.

"Uhh…maybe we should get the doctor-"

"Reaper's back." Berwald mumbled. From where he was crouching among the cargo, he was still tall enough to peer over the rails of the ship and below to the boardwalk that led to the wooden dock they were staying at.

It took a moment, but it was unmistakable when he caught sight of a man wearing a tattered black long coat, black buccaneer hat, and white skull mask approaching their ship. He had something slung over his shoulder.

"ReeRee's back?!" Peter parroted excitedly. After running up to the rails and leaning dangerously over it to confirm Berwald's claim, he ran back towards the older blond and pulled on the ends of his beige coat. "C'mon! Let's go!"

Apparently, the three brothers caught wind of the Reaper's return as well, because by the time Berwald, Erland, and Peter were at the dock, they were already there to greet their crew member.

"Welcome back, Reaper!" Mathias cheered jovially. "I take it your hunt was a success?"

"Yes." The Finn laid the large sack down gently in front of the captain's feet.

The North Sea King didn't have to open it up and reveal the bounty's face in order to make sure it was the right person – he knew the Reaper would not fail him.

"It took you slightly longer than usual," Lukas noted, but all the same was grateful for his crewmate's return.

"Did something happen?" Emil inquired.

"…I ran into some problems bringing him back," the Reaper confessed.

"Ah ain't no harm done! Excellent job, and as always, here's yer pay," Mathias reached into his pocket and fished out a pouch of coins already set aside for when the Reaper would accomplish his task.

"Thank you," said the platinum blond, taking his payment.

"All right, now all we gotta do is get this guy over to the authorities and collect our bounty!"

Sure, they were pirates, not bounty hunters, but whenever there was a chance to make some quick money that involved violence and slaughter, who were they to refuse? It was nothing personal if they decided to hunt down their fellow pirates for some extra coins. In fact, their main targets were actually other pirate ships. They didn't bother to pillage villages and towns like the other crews, no, they waited until those pirates did the dirty work and then came in to defeat that crew, taking everything the others have worked for and then some. It was all quite an efficient and lucrative business really...and especially since they had the Reaper on their side…

"ReeRee!" Peter bounded over to his role model and hugged the man's legs tightly. "Welcome back!"

The Reaper could be heard chuckling behind his mask. "It's good to be back, Peter. How have you been?" he bent down to pat the boy's blond hair.

Erland and Berwald came up from behind him.

The boy opened his mouth when a large ship roared near them.

"It seems we have company," Lukas turned to his left where a massive ship just dropped its black anchor into the water next to theirs.

"Hahaha!" Mathias laughed boisterously. "Now that's a ship I haven't seen in a while!"

Berwald followed everyone else's gaze to the incoming vessel.

It was quite an intimidating thing, painted all black, its multiple sails, although drawn up now, were also black.

He didn't have a lot of time to look at it before someone jumped right off the new ship's deck and onto the dock without any boarding planks to assist him. Now this was the kind of pirate Berwald had always imagined in his head – crass, crude, and by the looks in which he was barreling towards their group, his intentions were less than hospitable.

The newcomer was rather well-dressed for a ruthless pirate. Similar to Mathias, this pirate also lost an eye - his left one. It was covered by a black eye patch, leaving only one emerald green orb to glare at them. A black bicorn with a red rose on the left side sat on his head full of short blond hair. His red long coat appeared almost regal with its gold buttons and epaulets as it hung over his shoulders. His white undershirt appeared to be made of silk and a lavish cravat of the same color adorned his neck. A cutlass rested on the left side of his waist. The man's gloves, trousers, and boots were all the same shade of black. A small green studded earring pierced his left ear and a matching sash was securely tied around his waist. His stride was full of confidence and power and he appeared to be in a most foul mood.

"North Sea King!" When the man was within earshot he swore the captain's name. "Bloody hell, what the fuck are ye doin' here?!" He had an English accent, albeit more rough than elegant.

To this Mathias only grinned cheekily. "Oh hey there, buddy! Yer a bit slow there, aren't cha? That old age gettin' to ya already?"

The other male growled.

"Or were you just in a lover's spat with the Conquistador? Maybe ya ran into the Fleur-de-Lis?"

The pirate only spat and cursed, emerald green eye glaring daggers at the North Sea King. "I won't ask again, twat."

"Hey now, I know we left on awful terms, but can't ya forgive and forget?" Mathias offered jokingly, enjoying seeing the other so mad. "But if ya must know, we were just done here,"

"Yeah! So leave us alone, jerk!" Peter piped up to support his captain, glaring at the newcomer.

That acidic green eye leered towards the source of the new voice and his thick eyebrows furrowed. "The name's Captain Kirkland, owner of the Rose Pink, brat!" He stalked over to the little pirate threateningly. "But why don't ya come closer and say that to my face, boy? I'll teach you a thing or two about manners," His voice dripping with venom, he sneered at Peter.

"I think not." The Reaper intervened, stepping in between the two. He faced the Englishman as he continued "I will lose my respect for you should you decide to lay a hand on children."

"You!" Captain Kirkland seethed when he saw the masked man. He then eyed the body bag next to Mathias and scowled. "Ya got the bounty already?!"

"You betcha!" Mathias bragged. "And it's all 'cause we took a shortcut through that strait in the north!"

"His head belongs to me!" Captain Kirkland spat out, his eye still locked with those hollow black sockets. "How dare you steal what's mine!"

Lukas retorted calmly "We're pirates. It's what we do, Captain Kirkland."

"Yeah, not our fault ya were too slow," Emil added playfully.

The Englishman looked like he was about to blow a gasket, murder shining in that green eye when an idea came to him and he smirked. "Well I'm sure we can resolve this dispute like gentlemen. How about a duel for that bounty then, lad?"

The North Sea King tapped his chin in thought. "Sounds interesting…" he then smirked at the Reaper. "What d'ya say, buddy? Teach Kirkland here not to mess with us!"

"…I'd really rather not,"

Berwald could hear the fatigue in his voice.

"I'm tired…I also need to check up on Hanatamago,"

At this Mathias cackled. "Ya hear that, Kirkland?"

The captain of the Rose Pink only scowled.

The captain of the Draugen's voice was shrill as he wheezed "The Reaper thinks a dog is more important than you!"

"Why you-!"

"Ah that was cold, Reaper, you oughta at least give the guy a chance," The North Sea King came up to the rifleman and swung an arm across the other's shoulders.

Under the pressure of his captain, the Finn finally agreed to fight.

 _No…_ Berwald didn't want the other to overexert himself. He wanted to step in, but found Erland clutching to the material of his trousers tightly in the presence of the other captain. He couldn't leave the redhead now, and so made it his priority to protect both him and Peter. He could only be a spectator of the duel and hope for the best. In the meantime, he reached his hand down to pat Erland's head reassuringly.

"Then it's settled," Captain Kirkland turned towards his ship and yelled at one of the crew members – his rifleman. "Jones, get your arse down here this instant you wanker!"

 _What's going on?_

"Okay, okay, I'm a-comin'!" Another pirate from the Rose Pink jumped off the deck and made his way towards them. When he reached their group he said "Watcha need, boss?"

This pirate was young, with wheat-blond hair and sapphire eyes behind a pair of square-framed glasses. His accent was most foreign, as if from a faraway land. Leather chaps ran down his legs and a vest and hat of a similar material adorned his features. A bright red bandana was wrapped loosely around his neck, nearly covering the gold star badge he had pinned to the brown vest.

"Ya lost yer bounty, you prat!" Captain Kirkland pointed a gloved finger at the Reaper. "Make it up by dueling and killing this bastard!"

"Whaat?! That was mighty fast of ya, pal," The young pirate tipped his leather brown hat towards the Reaper and pulled out his weapon. "I give ya props! The name's Alfred F. Jones, by the way, but people call me the 'Lone Star.' Pleasure ta meet ya...too bad I won't be seein' ya fer long," he said cheerfully, giving the man a confident grin.

The Reaper took a moment to stare at his opponent before saying "...Forgive me captain, but I won't fight him. I forfeit."

The group fell into shock.

"What?!"

"Now hold just a gosh-darn second-"

"It's been a while, Alfred," The Reaper's voice was gentle as he removed his mask in front of his opponent.

Lone Star's jaw dropped. "Oh my stars and garters!" He immediately put away his revolver, his blue eyes bright. "Well, I'll be! I never knew _you_ were the Reaper, partner!"

"The world sure is small, isn't it?" the Finn smiled at the younger blond.

"You're darn tootin'-!"

"Jones! What is the meaning of this?!" Captain Kirkland came up to them, demanding an answer.

Alfred turned to his captain and explained "Shoots boss, he and I go waaaay back when we were just youngins! There's no way in hell I can kill him; I give up too!" He smiled widely and cheerfully, not taking any objections.

"You insufferable-!"

"If you would like, Captain Kirkland," the Reaper put on his mask again. "I will duel you instead," he offered.

This seemed to rile the captain up. "That suits me just fine, ya wanker," he drew out his cutlass from his holster and raised it at the Reaper. "Let's make it a sword fight, shall we? It's only fair, seeing as though you owe me for my eye," The words came out smoothly, but there was definitely malice and hatred laced within them. Captain Kirkland's remaining emerald eye burned with an intention to kill, his mouth set in a crooked smirk.

"Very well, but I don't have my-"

"That sounds like a personal problem, lad!" Without warning, the Englishman came charging at the unarmed Reaper.

 _So much for playing fair..._ Berwald watched anxiously as the duel commenced on the dock in front of him.

"He'll be fine," Mathias proclaimed aloud, as if reading the thoughts of some of the spectators. "You'll see."

"Beat him up, ReeRee!"

"I will pay ya back for what you took from me, Reaper!" He brought the cutlass down on his victim the moment he was close enough.

But the Reaper was agile, sidestepping the initial slash. He then did a small back handspring to avoid another blow that came a bit too close, kicking the cutlass out of Captain Kirkland's hand in the process. A piece of his beige scarf tore off from the encounter.

"Yeah!" The North Sea King cheered as the weapon flew from the Englishman's hand and clattered onto the wooden boards of the dock.

Without giving the other a chance to recover, once the Reaper was back on his feet, he moved in swiftly.

"What the-!" The next thing Captain Kirkland saw was a skull in front of his face, a white gloved hand dangerously near his throat.

It was over so soon.

The Reaper stopped, not quite grabbing the neck in front of him. "This is enough."

"Like hell it is!" Captain Kirkland spat at the man, distracting him long enough to swat the hand near his neck away and kick the other with so much force it sent him flying back and skidding across the boards of the dock on his side.

"ReeRee!"

A small grunt of pain escaped the Reaper. He tried to stand back up but the Englishman was fast, already upon him and stomping him down with a black boot on his chest. That venomous green eye stared down at him conceitedly. It was getting hard to breathe.

"It was a mistake to go easy on me, Reaper!" He continued delving his polished boot into the man pinned below him and stood tall over the Finn as he continued "You're not as strong as I remember! How disappointing...that other time you got me must've been a fluke!" He sneered, showing the other his teeth. "I'll pay you back for what you did to me by taking both yer eyes!"

"Whoa hey now, boss, don't cha think that's a bit harsh?" Alfred eyed his friend on the ground worriedly.

The North Sea King was gritting his teeth. "Quit messin' around, Reaper!" he scolded his subordinate. "Yer makin' us look bad! Get up, now!"

He didn't even notice it himself, but Berwald was biting down on his lower lip so hard that it nearly bled. His body tensed when he saw the Finn knocked down, hands balled into fists.

The Reaper only sighed deeply before lifting the Englishman's boot off him with one hand and rolling out of the way.

But Captain Kirkland was quick to react and was upon him once he was back on his feet.

It was a flurry of black and red as the two fighters moved across the floorboards nimbly. It was a wonder how both of their hats stayed on their heads.

The Englishman was strong, even without his cutlass his fists were more than enough. Berwald noticed this when the Reaper dodged a punch that instead grazed a pole lining the dock, woodchips flying off and a small dent left behind on the pole.

 _He really does want to kill him!_

"What's this now? Don't tell me all yer gonna do is dance around like a pansy!" Captain Kirkland teased, but he snarled in frustration all the same when he missed yet another swing at the Reaper across the face. "You coward!"

The platinum blond found an opportunity when the other swung a left hook at him.

"Huh?"

The Reaper grabbed Captain Kirkland's incoming fist, pulling on the extended arm over his shoulder and flipping the English pirate onto his back, twisting the arm in the process.

"Damn you!"

Although the Reaper did not throw as many punches or attacks as the other, when he did, they landed.

A strangled cry escaped the blond captain before he bit it back down, glaring at the skull-masked figure above him.

The Finn released his grip on the other, backing up a bit from the body lying prostrate on the floorboards. "Second warning – please stop."

"Now that's more like it!" The North Sea King approved.

Captain Kirkland only scowled at his opponent's request. Being close enough to his abandoned cutlass on the floor, he quickly grabbed it, swinging low from where he was to cut off the Reaper's legs.

"…!" The platinum blond saw the movement just in time, jumping with both feet off the ground to avoid the blade as it swept under the soles of his boots.

The captain of the Rose Pink used the evasion to kick up and jump back onto his feet fluidly, turning towards the Reaper who had just regained his balance. He wore a predatory grin as he twirled his cutlass once in his hand before thrusting the weapon towards the masked man's heart. "Now you die, Reaper-!"

Said pirate was upon him before he even took a step forward.

"What?!"

Flitting across to close the distance between them, the Finn moved in close to Captain Kirkland. Left hand over the other's face, he got down on one knee in one swift motion, grabbing and forcing the English pirate's head down into the dock with a loud splintering of wood.

Following the force of the pull on his head, Captain Kirkland's body flopped onto the wooden boards soon after with a thud. The cutlass fell from his hand the moment his head was smashed in. Blood pooled in the back of the pirate's head, dying bits of blond hair crimson and spilling onto the floorboards below him.

"This duel is over." The Reaper said with finality. He removed his hand from the other's face to reveal a green eye still glowering at him, teeth bared.

The man was still alive. Any weaker person would have died from the impact and had his skull caved in.

"That was a good fight, Captain Kirkland." The Reaper commended sincerely.

Captain Kirkland's body twitched at the words before he growled. However, he didn't rise from his spot on the floor. He only cursed as the Reaper stood up, wiped the spit from his mask, and turned to walk back to his crew. "Fucking…wanker…"

"That's my Reaper!"

"Yay! You did it, ReeRee!" Peter ran over to the winner of the match.

"Impressive, as always." Lukas complimented, Emil nodding in agreement.

Lone Star hustled over to his captain to help him into a sitting position. "Aw shucks, boss, don't feel bad! You were great out there!" The blond didn't sound a tad bit remorseful that they have lost the duel and the bounty with it.

"Shut it, git!" Captain Kirkland continued to glare daggers at the victor, who was now kneeling to give Peter and a redheaded boy some candy from the pocket of his long coat. His black gloved hands clenched tightly into fists. At this point his pride was wounded more deeply than his head - he won't lose to the same man twice!

Seeing as though the Reaper's back was turned to him and he was occupied with those brats, Captain Kirkland saw this as an opportunity to lunge at him. He shoved Alfred off him and grabbed the cutlass once again, wanting now more than ever to slit the accursed man's throat.

"Boss!"

"The match is over." Berwald's voice came out gruff and deep as he leapt in the way, glaring at the English pirate over his glasses. Before he even knew what or why he was doing this, his body moved on its own and stood between the Reaper and Captain Kirkland.

"Ha?" The blond stopped when he saw the intimidating taller man gaze at him with cyan eyes. His good eye then flickered to the side and he smiled sardonically. He pointed over the Swede's shoulder as he said "How quaint of you…but you're defending the wrong man, I'm afraid."

"Hm?" Berwald took a chance and turned around to see that the Reaper was right behind him.

The rifleman had his royal blue flintlock pistol pointed at the Englishman, the three barrels of the gun staring straight at him. He had heard the pirate captain approach. He remained deathly silent.

Captain Kirkland got the message and fell back, officially ending the duel. He knew how serious the other was now and another move on his part would trigger that pistol. He had no choice but to admit defeat this time. "Tch…enjoy this little victory while ya still can," he said bitterly before turning his back on the two.

Once he saw the red long coat turned on him, Berwald let out a breath he had kept in from the suspense. A warm hand clasped his shoulder.

"Thank you for looking out for me, Berwald."

The Swede just knew the other was smiling behind that morbid mask.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this mess, but it's over now. Rest easy," He then went back to Peter and asked the young boy to hold onto his mask until he returned.

 _Where is he going now?_

Peter saluted and swore to protect the mask with his life. He and Erland were quick to make it back onto the ship to share what they just saw with the others.

The three brothers were gone before Berwald even noticed, the bounty disappearing as well from the floor.

The Reaper walked past Berwald and towards the two members of the Rose Pink who were currently caught in an argument not far off on the boardwalk.

"Aw geez, boss, it wasn't my fault they got here faster-!"

"Silence! I don't want your excuses, Jones!"

Lone Star pouted and was about to say something when he saw his friend approach them. "Howdy, Reaper!"

"I'm sorry for the intrusion,"

"You're cruel, Reaper." Captain Kirkland gave the unwelcome man a dirty look. "What do you want now? Come to rub your win in my face?" For someone who was bleeding from the back of his head, the Englishman was feistier than usual. He was busy readjusting his eye patch and cravat now dyed red in some parts.

"No, nothing of that sort, Captain Kirkland. Actually, I was hoping I could take Lone Star off your hands for a while and catch up with him somewhere,"

"You've got some nerve!" The captain snarled, offended that the other had the gall to request such a thing. But his subordinate wasn't making things easier for him. "What makes ya think-"

"Now that's a mighty fine idea there, partner!" Alfred drawled. He pulled out a small golden pocket watch from his tan trousers and exclaimed "It's high noon, so let's get somethin' to eat!"

The Reaper smiled at his long-time friend. "Sounds good, it'll be my treat."

"Hahaha! Then let's giddy up, partner!"

And in the next moment the two were walking side by side on the boardwalk into town.

But not before the Reaper passed by Captain Kirkland and whispered something gravely to the Englishman, his amethyst eyes staring into emerald green. "Please watch over Alfred. If you mistreat him in any way, I'll find you and finish the job and take your other eye as well."

Captain Kirkland was left sputtering and fuming as he stomped off towards his ship, swearing and complaining about the Reaper and Lone Star's audacity.

Berwald, on the other hand, was left alone to do whatever he wanted for the afternoon. Mathias, satisfied with the bounty, did not badger him. And so he was left not knowing what he should do with himself. But what he did know was that he didn't trust the crew of the Rose Pink. And so without informing anyone, he set out into town to keep watch over the Reaper should the other blond try anything.

The Swede followed them to a tavern on the edge of town, keeping himself hidden as he guarded and watched the area intensely. Apparently, just standing around the tavern was enough to scare some of the patrons away. It somehow reminded him of his days standing guard at the brothel…the thought made him scowl more than usual. Once in a while, he could hear Lone Star's boisterous laughter echo through the walls of the place, catching tidbits of dialogue along with it. He couldn't hear what the Reaper had to say, however.

When he saw the two exit the tavern, Berwald rounded a corner to avoid being spotted.

"And then I said, 'Can someone call the undertaker?'" Lone Star guffawed as he finished telling his heroic exploit.

"Haha, it's good to see you're doing well," he heard the Reaper's soft voice from around the corner. "Who'd have known you would become a pirate as well? And under Captain Kirkland no less..."

"Haha, yeah, life sure takes weird turns, don't cha think?"

"Indeed it does. You're making quite a name for yourself,"

"Daw yer makin' me blush, partner!"

"I'm sorry I caught your bounty, but it was really nice seeing you again after all these years."

"Now what in tarnation are ya apologizin' for?! Don't even worry about it; there'll always be more bounties! And the feeling's mutual," Berwald took a peek around the corner and saw Alfred clasping his hands on the shorter male's shoulders. He was about to spring into action when he heard "Are ya sure yer feelin' fine? I've seen dead meat livelier than you,"

The Reaper just chuckled and smiled at him. "Well, when you are sent out to find a bounty and haven't slept in three days, only to have to fight a terrifying pirate captain right afterwards, can you blame me?"

Lone Star gave out a long whistle. "Shoots, I guess not!" He then patted his friend's shoulders as he said "Well don't do anythin' stupid, ya hear me? I don't wanna hear no rumors that yer pushin' daisies by the time we meet again!" His companion laughed slightly at the statement.

"I won't, as long as you promise me the same thing and take care."

"Well all righty then, now that that's settled, I reckon you should head back and get some shut eye. Might do your dead eyes some good!" he teased.

The two shared one last farewell and chaste hug before going separate ways.

Berwald immediately turned tail away from them and back around the corner to let them pass him. He didn't know Lone Star would come his way.

"Whoa there, partner!" Alfred appeared just as shocked as Berwald was to bump into him. His vibrant grin returned to his face when he recognized the Swede. "Howdy! Yer one of the folks from the Draugen right? Reaper's pal?"

"…"

The younger blond took Berwald's silence as a sign to keep talking. "Yeah I remember ya! That was a nice save ya did back there," he winked at him. "Listen, I don't mean ya no harm! So why don't cha tell me yer name?"

"Berwald." He continued to stare at the blond curiously, wondering how in the world such a guy befriended the Reaper…how lucky the other was.

Blue eyes flickered brightly and Alfred's smile grew wider. "Well, Berwald, it's nice to know the Reaper's found himself a bodyguard to watch over him!"

 _He thinks that I'm…_ Berwald felt flattered by the comment for some reason, even though it wasn't true. He didn't know what he was to the Reaper.

Alfred then went on to showcase his life, his feats, how he came on board the Rose Pink and how he knew his childhood friend. They had met long ago as toddlers while the Reaper's family was on vacation in the new land.

Throughout it all, the Swede just stood there and listened intently, fascinated especially by the tidbits involving the Finn.

"Hahaha! But ya know, that guy always treats me like a kid! I swear, he's more of a dad sometimes than a friend,"

"I'm sure he just cares," he offered, trying to contribute to their one-sided conversation.

 _He's really friendly, even if he's just a bit loud_

Berwald then decided that Lone Star wasn't a bad person or an enemy. He was the Reaper's friend after all.

"Ah well, I guess you would know…bein' on the same boat and everything," The smile waned a little as something seemed to surface in Alfred's mind and he looked at his pocket watch. "I gotta get going…But before I do, I wanna tell ya something," he made a motion with his finger to get the taller man to come closer.

Trusting him, Berwald bent down a bit to the other's height, leaning in as he whispered into his ear.

"Now I don't know if you've heard the rumors, but if ya ever come near a place called 'Aurora Cove,' I suggest you and the Reaper steer clear of there," his voice was low, blue eyes dark. "Hightail outta there if ya can…heard that's where my captain lost his eye to him." He pouted a bit at the fact and readjusted the bandana around his neck. "I mean, I tried askin' the boss about it, but he wouldn't tell me nothin'…Can't blame him though, it wasn't his finest moment…" Lone Star tried to laugh it off, but it came out flat, unconvincing. "Reaper's a really nice fellow when yer not his target…so something really bad must've happened over there to make the guy go berserk like that…"

"Mm." Numbly, he nodded his understanding, still trying to process the information given to him.

Backing away from the taller blond, Alfred's smile returned in full swing. "Right, now seein' as though yer his bodyguard, I thought you should know. Whatever makes your job easier, partner!"

Berwald thanked the man as they got onto the main street.

"It's no problem, pal! After all, watching out for that guy is one hell of a job!" He tipped his hat and winked at him. "He just seems to attract trouble wherever he goes, hahaha! Good luck, Ber!"

* * *

 **Endnotes:**

Brownie points to those who can spot the Overwatch references here!

And of course I had to include Arthur at one point in the story...it simply wouldn't be a pirate fic without him lol His ship, the Rose Pink, is named after one of two actual pirate ships owned by English pirate Edward Low during the Golden Age of Piracy.

The song used for the chapter title can also be used to explain Alfred's upbringing to those who are curious :) He's more of a cowboy than a pirate here but oh well! This is Alfred we're talking about lol He was very fun to write.

Lastly but most importantly, I just wanted to take the time to once again thank you all for reading this and especially to those who review; I absolutely love hearing your comments about the story and it always motivates me to write faster and get the next chapter out to you guys sooner! I'm so happy you are still enjoying the story and looking forward to more, because I can promise you there will be. So until the next one, thank you all again and have a wonderful day or evening!


	11. In the Shadows

**Song Title: In the Shadows** by **Beyond the Black**

* * *

 **Clang! Clang! Clang!**

Berwald didn't know if he would ever get used to the sound of that bronze bell and what it implied. Grabbing his steel staff from under his cot, he made his way onto the deck along with the rest of the crew who wanted a piece of the oncoming action.

"Who are they this time?"

"I hope someone notorious like Captain Kirkland again!"

"Man, I can't believe we all missed that fight!"

"The captain should've told us about it before we all headed into town!"

"Hold your fire!" Emil ordered the moment he saw who the enemy was through his bronze telescope. He swung down from a rope to the forecastle where Mathias and Lukas were waiting for him.

"Well?"

The youngest brother handed the telescope to the captain. "Some familiar faces,"

"…So they've finally caught up to us?" Lukas only needed to see the coat of arms on the large sails to have an idea of who they were up against.

After a second of observing who was on the deck of the other ship, Mathias nodded. "Well nobody told me there'd be a family reunion so soon!" He turned to Emil and said cheekily "Put her to a full stop and let's give 'em a proper welcome."

"It's the royal navy!"

"Whoa!" Peter's blue eyes were wide as he gawked at the incoming ship.

"Wait, why aren't we attacking already?! They're already so close!"

"Shouldn't we be sending Reaper out there by now?"

The military vessel was even larger than the Draugen, flying flags with an insignia Berwald wasn't familiar with. It came up from behind them, but was now parallel to the stagnating Draugen.

 _What's going on? Why are we just standing still? We're gonna get caught!_

Berwald didn't understand the captain's choice to remain sitting in the ocean unmoving and unresponsive. Once the two ships were close enough, nearly deck-to-deck, he was able to see the men in their crisp white uniforms standing and looking over the pirate crew.

They appeared armed and ready to attack.

"Ahoy there! How nice of ya to visit us so far away from home!" The North Sea King emerged among his men, leaning against the rail casually. At his sides were Nyk, the Deacon of Dark River, and the Reaper.

"That is no way to greet your elders, Kohler," A middle-aged man wearing a uniform more respectable than the rest stepped forward to meet the captain. He appeared to be the general of the ship.

"Sorry, uncle," Mathias winked, tone not carrying even a bit of remorse in it. "So what brings you all here to these parts?"

The older male scowled. "You know exactly why, Mathias! What in the world were you thinking, turning to piracy?! How can you become the opposite of what you wanted to be? You had so much potential...all of you!" He eyed the other nephews. "Lukas, you are such a brilliant lad, why squander your talents like this? And you, Emil! Shame on you, you are so young and the world could've been yours…there were so many opportunities for you."

A thick fog began to roll across the ocean's surface, making the grey skies above them even darker and ensnaring both ships in its ghostly clutches.

Mathias chuckled sardonically. "Oh I'm so happy ta hear you believed in us so much, uncle," His voice lowered then, but rang clear in the surrounding fog, as if everything was heightened in its shroud. "Did you still believe that when our house burned down?"

"We really didn't have a choice, ya know? You didn't exactly come in and help us or anythin'...we were on our own," Emil answered pragmatically and pointedly. "It must've been nice to keep your position and title after what happened..."

"Where were you when everything was stripped from us?" Lukas asked bitterly. His navy eyes bore into his uncle as if looking for answers in the other's soul. "All our potential could never make up for what we lost that day,"

"Your parents are rolling in their graves right now," The uncle growled, but in his grey eyes was guilt warring with anger and disappointment towards the three pirates. Since he couldn't provide a satisfactory answer, he instead lashed out against the masked pirate standing next to his relatives. "And you, Reaper..." he spat the name out as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth. "You are the worst offender! I've lost all respect for you to even call you by your real name. You're no longer human - you're a monster!"

The Finn remained silent while the man abused him.

"What would your parents think knowing that their son is one of the most murderous and wanted pirates in all the seven seas?! You have brought shame upon their name!"

"...I will find out once I see them again in the afterlife. But until then I can't answer that question," he finally replied morbidly.

"And I heard you were such a sweet lad too..." the general shook his head. He casted a disdainful look across the whole pirate crew until his eyes landed on Peter and Erland. "Honestly, Kohler, children? You would even take children aboard?!"

"I don't see any problems. I'll even venture to say that I'm generous for giving these boys a second chance at life," Mathias replied playfully, his smile crooked. "One that we never got."

"I won't say this again: surrender now and return the ship to me."

The three brothers only chuckled at the demand, but it soon erupted into a manic laughter. The sound boomed and pierced through the fog. Their eyes were bright and defiant as they leered at their elder.

Mathias spoke on their behalf. "Well ya see, I'm afraid we can't do that, uncle...So how are we ever gonna solve this problem?"

"You leave me no choice..." The general turned to his men and they stood at attention. "Apprehend them! I want those three and the children captured alive!" He pointed a gloved finger towards the brothers who were smirking at him and then turned his attention to the stoic masked man. "As for the Reaper, it doesn't matter either way - he's worth a fortune dead or alive. Use any means necessary to bring them down! The Draugen and her crew will be defeated here in these waters!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Get ready, boys, we're about to have some fun!" Mathias roared, his men joining in. He swung his great axe over his shoulder.

"Take the boys down to the lower levels, and make sure the fight stays on the deck." Lukas ordered, a hand over the gilded handle of his rapier.

"Aww but-!"

"Now, now, guys, this is no time to argue. When you get older and strong enough, you can join us." Emil offered, drawing his curved dagger from its holster on his waist.

Sensing the bloodlust rising, Berwald took the initiative and escorted the two young boys away from the chaos by picking one up in each of his arms. Despite their protests, he knew it was for the best. He had learned his lesson from the mutiny and couldn't help but wonder who took care of them or what they did before he came on board.

By the time he was outside in the hallway again, the sounds of battle could be heard from above in the form of heavy footsteps, shouting, and gunfire. He hurried back onto the deck.

Chaos all wrapped up in a blanket of fog met him.

There were no signs of the brothers or the Reaper anywhere, probably one of the many shadows dancing behind the veil of white haze.

The boarding planks were already dispatched and the royal navy men came pouring onto the deck of the Draugen. Figures would shift in and out of the wisps of fog, only to disappear in it again. Some were struggling, locked in an intense battle as the ship continued to sway from the waves below them. Some were dead, a bullet through their head or slash across their body.

This battle was different than the other scuffles Berwald got caught in before. First, there was the fog, which limited visibility and made it difficult sometimes to discern an enemy from an ally if they were too far away. He had no idea how thick fog could get, only seeing it before from the shoreline as it crept up from beyond the horizon at times in his hometown. The second factor was the identity of their foe. The royal navy sailors were well trained and equipped, nothing like the other pirates and rogues they stumbled upon out at sea. They possessed technique and discipline – something most of the crew lacked. The disparity became obvious, but to the Swede's surprise, they were doing rather well despite their circumstances. In fact, it was as though the pirates thrived on the excitement that came from being outmatched – it boosted their morale and made them fight harder and wilder.

Berwald was just about done knocking out a well-dressed sailor with a swing of his staff and punching another one with his fist when he heard something that made his blood run cold.

"There's more of 'em!"

"Where are they coming from-ack!"

"Two more ships are boarding us…they came outta the fog!"

"We're surrounded!"

Those were the other factors Berwald forgot to account for – reinforcements and strategy.

But the North Sea King only got a kick out of the news and hollered "Well ain't that interesting?! Yer really pullin' out all the stops on us eh, uncle?" He cackled. "Aww you shouldn't have!"

"Fire the cannons!" Emil ordered. "Sink the ships before more board us!"

The Draugen rocked and rumbled from the cannon fire.

His fist connected to another man's jaw. But no matter how many he seemed to knock down, they just kept materializing in the murky fog. They really were outnumbered.

It was becoming difficult to register and distinguish any sort of sound with all the chaos around him. But Berwald continued to fight onward despite feeling a bit guilty that he was defying the officials. Albeit he has been doing that for nearly majority of his life now in some way or form, it never sat well with his conscience. If anything, he kept telling himself that he would stop leading this unlawful life once he was free.

 _I'll right myself. I'll leave this all behind-_

"Guh!" Something wrapped itself around Berwald's neck, pulling him backwards. It was thick rope, strangling him as another body moved in to tackle him down onto the floorboards. Hands and legs pinned him as fists barraged his body.

"Looks like we got a big one!" A voice floated through the mist. "Hold him down while I reload this pistol!"

Within the fog, Berwald got surrounded by a group of mariners who looked as though they have lost their weapons in the skirmish. They snuck up on him, working together and disarming him of his steel staff and were doing all that they could to get the Swede to hold still before the only armed man could finish him off.

 _Can't breathe…_

The faces above him became more indistinguishable as his vision blurred, fading in and out like the incessant fog around them. The rope continued to tighten around his throat, biting into his skin as he struggled to remove himself from the group of sailors. But with each thrash, a chunk of his strength left him. His lungs were burning with the need for air.

"Mind hurrying it up? This guy has one nasty look and I just might choke him to death at this rate!"

 _Is this...the end?_

Berwald didn't even get to experience freedom yet…was he really going to die like this? As a lowly pirate?!

Screams and clamor began to crescendo around him in an orchestra of death. It was a horrible sound to die to.

"Gaah!"

But he didn't die. He was breathing once again.

A blur of black swooped in front of him, taking with it the weight of the sailor on top of him. Several blood-curdling screams later and his limbs were released. The rope was tugged off his neck.

Berwald coughed as the bodies fell away from him one at a time. His hands instinctively went up to nurse his throat when he felt a warm body near him. The dark figure was crouched alongside him, hands helping him up into a sitting position on the floorboards. Eventually an arm traveled back and wound itself around his waist, gently pulling him onto his feet, supporting him.

"Can you stand?"

The Swede didn't answer, filling his lungs with huge gulps of air, the prickling sensation of numbness fading from his limbs. He continued leaning against the other until a voice rang out.

"What?! Reaper!" The remaining mariner with the firearm saw that by the time he had finished reloading, all of his other mates were dead. They were lying face down and the pirate they were going to kill was standing straight up. "Die, damn you!"

In a flash, the warmth next to Berwald left him as the Reaper descended upon the sailor. It appeared as though the Finn was in a most foul mood when he dodged the bullet and tackled the uniformed man from behind, holding him in a death grip with an arm wrapped securely around his neck. The rifleman squeezed his victim tightly until he felt him draw his last breath and released the limp body. Hollow black sockets reverted their attention back to his staggering companion and the Reaper asked "Are you all right, Berwald?"

After readjusting the pair of glasses that were skewed on his face from the struggle, Berwald's vision returned to him and he saw the other staring at him. He nodded, words failing him at the moment. It was too good to be true that the other came in just to save him. The Swede had to continue his fight as well…Absentmindedly, he turned away from his savior and bent down to look for his weapon. It had rolled away towards the edge of the deck, next to a fallen crewmate. Berwald took a moment to observe the dead man's face in an attempt to remember who he was when he heard a soft grunt and the sound of flesh being slashed open behind him.

 _Reaper!_

By the time Berwald whipped around, the skull mask belonging to the other had fallen off, revealing dull purple eyes and a sad smile on the Finn's face. Their bodies were only a foot apart from each other.

"…"

"Haha! Hey guys, I finally got him! I got the Reaper!" The mariner behind the aforementioned man boasted. His saber was still stuck in the pirate's shoulder. Before Berwald even picked up his weapon, the mariner had been stalking him, waiting for the opportune time to strike him down. What he didn't expect was for the Reaper to step in and take the blow for this pirate, his saber cutting into the rifleman's right shoulder and back.

"…!" Berwald could only stare wide-eyed in horror as the Reaper soundlessly reached a bloody hand out to caress his cheek, smearing some of the substance of unknown origin onto him in the process before it fell away.

The Reaper slumped forward and collapsed face down onto the floorboards. He landed in front of Berwald's sienna brown boots, unmoving.

The gash was deep, blood seeping out of it profusely and dying the tattered long coat an even darker shade of black.

At that moment, right before his violet eyes slipped closed in front of Berwald, the Reaper looked happy and at peace…as if he was ready to die.

He wanted to die.

 _Was that it?_

It read so plainly on his pale and bloody face. The Reaper threw away his life in order to save Berwald's.

Something snapped inside of him then.

It rose in his chest like a tsunami and made him see red. His blood boiled when he looked down and saw the porcelain face of the Reaper smiling fondly on the floor, as if only sleeping. He was angry, mad...infuriated. Years of frustration over what his life has become, over circumstances he couldn't control, over the fact that he has been the victim for so long, that life has been unkind to him, humiliated and shamed him, all came surging out after trying to suppress them for so long. Life was most cruel - after tormenting him for so long, it finally gave him hope in the form of the Reaper, only to take him away in one fell swoop. One of the few people in Berwald's life to show him any kindness and respect at all was now soaking in a pool of his own blood. Blood he spilled in order to protect him. The dense fog was suffocating him and his head spun.

"AHHH!" Berwald let out an enraged cry that cut through the sounds of skirmish and thundered across the Draugen.

"What-" Before the offending sailor could even recoil from the loud roar, he found himself grabbed by the collar of his uniform and thrown overboard.

Berwald stormed over to the metal staff without a second glance at the corpse next to it and began his rampage on the deck. Left and right, anyone near him wearing a royal navy uniform were either beaten by fists and steel or hefted over the rails and into the deep below. At that moment Berwald couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he was committing murder of men – men of the law. He no longer feared getting captured by them. He didn't care. He didn't care or know how many skulls he bashed in, how many he drowned, or how many he maimed in his rage. All those who opposed him faced his wrath.

"Ho? What's this now?" Mathias inquired amusedly as the royal navy man in front of him was picked up by the collar from behind and chucked overboard with a single arm belonging to the Swede.

Another got hit in the torso so hard he was sure ribs were broken.

The three brothers were surrounded, covering each other's backs when their recent recruit barreled along.

The captain wasn't even a bit offended that the other stole his kill. One look into those burning cyan eyes and he knew the taller blond was angry beyond measure. He liked that. He also wondered what could have stirred such an intense emotion from the usually placid and stoic man. He wanted to see this more often from his subordinate. "That's it, Ber, teach 'em not to mess with us!"

But Berwald didn't hear a word of it until everything quieted around him and the fog lifted. He faintly recalled hearing the order to retreat from the general, who slinked away with a few other injured royal navy sailors onto the large vessel. They soon disappeared with the receding fog and the Draugen was once again by itself in the open ocean.

"All right, fun time's over, men. I want our dead in hammocks and sent to the sea…we'll have a drink in their names and celebrate!" Mathias ordered once their victory was assured. In an odd turn of events, he didn't give the order to pursue and sink the royal navy ship, turning his blind eye to it.

The rage and adrenaline leaving his body the moment he heard the captain's command and saw the deck littered with blood and bodies, Berwald leaned against the rail to support himself. He breathed in the smell of death and decay deeply. It sickened him, but eventually he hauled himself up and carried out the order issued to him and every other able-bodied crewmate.

As he went about his morbid task, Berwald desperately looked for the Reaper's body. Back and forth he scanned the deck each time he made a trip near the rails to dump the fallen men, hoping someone else didn't come across it before he did. He wanted to have one last look at that angelic face and be the one to do the rite but try as he might, could not find him.

It was as though he simply vanished.

While on the deck, Berwald also stumbled upon those who were injured and so in an attempt to help one, carried the man down the stairs to see the doctor. What he saw in Ludwig's infirmary nearly made him drop his crewmate. His heart skipped a beat.

"There…that should stop the bleeding for now," Ludwig said as he gave the ends of the gauze one last tug to secure the knot. Feliciano stood next to him, trying his best to help the busy doctor.

"Thank you, Ludwig," The Reaper's voice was soft as he smiled weakly at the doctor.

"But of course," The German turned around wearily to face his next patient. "I'll be right with you,"

Gravely, Berwald approached the Reaper after dropping off the injured crewmate. His steps were cautious, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him and he was just seeing an apparition of the deceased rifleman. The spectre smiled and spoke to him.

"Ah Berwald, are you all right? I hope you're not too injured,"

 _This man is insane!_

How could the other be asking him that when he was the one who nearly died today?! The scrapes and bruises on him were nothing compared to the large gash on the Finn's back.

In order to be treated, the Reaper had removed his undershirt and coat, his whole upper body wrapped in white gauze that stained crimson in some spots. Surprisingly, his black hat with the white feathers remained nestled on his platinum blond hair. Those violet eyes gazed steadily at the taller blond, devoid of light as always…but focused.

Berwald could only gawk before he finally realized that the other was alive and patiently waiting for him to answer his inquiry. "Uhn…" he nodded his head slowly. He didn't know how the other managed to survive, but he didn't dare to question such good fortune.

 _Thank the gods you're alive!_

Relieved to hear the reply, the Reaper heaved himself off the wooden chair and swung his black long coat with the tattered ends over his shoulders. "Thank goodness,"

 _How can he still smile with those injuries?!_

Before he knew it, Berwald rushed over to the Reaper's side, lending him a shoulder to lean on as they made their way out of the crowded infirmary and into the hallway.

"You really don't have to do this, Berwald. Don't you have injuries that need to be tended to?"

"They can wait." The Finn's body was nice and warm against his shoulder, the sensation making him numb to his own pain. The spot where the other stroked his cheek still tingled, the blood there having long dried and flaked off, but leaving behind a spectre of warmth in its wake.

It was his responsibility to help this man in any way that he could after he had just saved his life twice in one day.

The Reaper hummed, accepting the Swede's help to walk him towards his room.

"I'm sorry," Berwald apologized after a while of supporting the staggering rifleman.

"Hm?"

"I almost got ya killed," the words were but a whisper by the time they left his mouth. "It's my fault…I'm sorry," His negligence on the deck nearly cost the other his life! He would never forgive himself for this. After all the rage was gone, he was only left with guilt and sorrow sitting heavily in his heart by the time the whole fiasco ended. A soft chuckle tickled his ears and his grip on the Finn tightened slightly from it.

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about. Things like this happen from time to time. I'm just glad I made it in time," he gave Berwald a sidelong glance and sad smile. "But enough about me, you were incredible out there, Berwald! I've never seen so many men thrown overboard in one sitting,"

The Swede was baffled at how easily and calmly the other could talk in his current condition. He found that he didn't mind, however. The light voice was gentle and reassuring, reminding Berwald that the man was still alive.

 _He's not angry with me and instead praises me?_

The Reaper wasn't scolding, reprimanding, or berating him for what happened back there. Not one bit. It confounded him in the most pleasant of ways and a small smile tugged at his lips despite how horrible all of this has been.

When they made it to the Reaper's room, the man thanked him and persuaded him to see Ludwig himself.

After he heeded the rifleman's recommendation and made his way back to the infirmary, Berwald wanted to know how to treat wounds and asked Ludwig if he could help the doctor and learn the basics in his free time. Celebrations were all around as the surviving crew members made a toast for their deceased kin and prosperity for those who remained. But Berwald passed on the grog that came his way. He was busying himself with helping the other injured pirates and anything else. The Swede was also sure to offer his services and deliver dinner when it was served.

But when he stepped into the Reaper's room once he saw that the door was slightly opened, he found the man fast asleep. Hanatamago was also on the bed with the black comforter, curled up beside her owner in his arms.

The Reaper was lying on his left side in order to avoid the wound, his coat still hanging off his shoulders and the sleeves dangling behind him. The new moon outside the window didn't reveal much, but Berwald could see him just enough to know that he looked at peace, his breathing even and light.

Having a mind of their own, Berwald's hands went around to wrap the other in the black blanket he was sleeping on top of as carefully as he could and tucked him in.

It was then that Berwald remembered an elusive truth – the Reaper was still a man. He bled. He could die.

It was now more than ever that Berwald wanted to be the one to bandage the other's wounds. Something told him this wasn't the first time and it certainly wouldn't be the last. But when it occurred again, he would be there to help. He owed it to the platinum blond.

By the time they were in the next town, Berwald's feats in battle were known far and wide, earning him the nickname the "Lion of the North" and a bounty placed on his head. The towns, officials, and other pirates may talk about him now, but the only commendation that mattered to him came from a certain rifleman – the one who always believed in him and encouraged him even before all of this ever happened. Before he became someone in the eyes of society.


	12. Lighthouse

**Song Title: Lighthouse** by **Nina Kraljic**

* * *

It has been a few days since the assault from the royal navy, and seeing as though everyone could use some rest and relaxation, the North Sea King decided it was a good time to make landfall. They found and docked at a peaceful coastal town down south to unwind.

 **Knock. Knock.**

"Ve, ReeRee, are you in there?" Feliciano looked towards Berwald when no one answered him from inside the Reaper's room. "Hmm, it is the afternoon…maybe he's taking a siesta? That actually sounds like a good idea right about now,"

The person who answered the door was not the Reaper.

"Uwah! Hello, captain!" the chef saluted.

Mathias grinned at the Italian. "Well hey there, Feli! What brings ya here?"

"I wanted to check up on ReeRee and see if he wanted to go shopping with us today! It is so nice outside, and the town looks beautiful," Feliciano tilted his head, the curl of hair on his head bouncing from the motion. "Is he in there?"

"He sure is!" The captain swung the door open wider to excuse himself. "Y'all have fun now!" He patted the chef on the head as he passed by him.

 _What was he doing in Reaper's room?_

Berwald trained his eyes on Mathias warily when the Dane made his way towards him next. The friendly smile the other gave Feliciano turned into a smirk by the time that blue eye landed on his figure.

The North Sea King leaned casually into Berwald's personal space, resting an arm on the Swede's shoulder as he whispered "And how are we doing this lovely afternoon, Ber?"

"Just fine," he answered back, hoping that would be enough to satisfy the captain. But it wasn't; it never was.

"Ya know..." Mathias drawled. "The Reaper took quite a beating in that last fight. I wonder why that is?"

"..."

Although the rifleman didn't mind what happened, Berwald himself and apparently the captain would not live it down.

Mathias took the other's silence as a sign to continue. "He saved your life, didn't he? How much do ya think that was worth?"

Berwald could practically sense the blond smirk mischievously. He had a grim idea of what was coming next.

"Listen, Ber, I don't exactly appreciate the fact that my best mate is injured because of one of your screw-ups, but I'm a nice captain. So what I'll do is tack on this little service fee onto your current worth and you can pay me back that way. Sounds fair, right?"

The taller blond could only bite his tongue, trying not to make a scene in front of the Reaper and Feliciano.

Silence was an answer Mathias accepted and he clasped a hand on the other's shoulder roughly. He continued walking towards his own cabin, but not before saying "That's a good boy. By the way, congratulations on making it on the bounty list, Lion of the North."

"Yes, yes, Feli, I'm fine, I swear," The Reaper's voice brought Berwald back to his senses, trying to calm the brunette as he recited what Ludwig told him about his injuries.

"Ve, so does that mean you can go into town with us?" Feliciano beamed, clasping his hands together anxiously. "I want to shop for some groceries here. Ludwig usually goes with me, but he's been busy..." He was referring to the recent incident with the royal navy. "So I was hoping both of you can accompany me instead!"

"Both?" The Reaper turned his head and saw Berwald standing on the side in the hallway. He smiled sadly as he agreed to join them.

"Yay!" To the Reaper's and Berwald's surprise, Feliciano pounced on the rifleman and hugged him affectionately, delighted with the other's answer. He got even giddier when the man returned the hug.

"Let me get something real quick," The platinum blond disappeared from view, going back into his room.

When he came back out, Berwald noticed that the man had left his mask and black long coat behind. They were hung over the back of the chair near the desk in the room.

The Reaper wore a simple outfit of a clean white undershirt, his black and tan trousers with its little gold chain dangling at his left hip, and boots.

However, upon further scrutiny, the bespectacled blond noticed that under the black sash he decided to wear today, two flintlock pistols were concealed beneath the dark fabric.

"Okay, let's go!"

* * *

In the tranquil town, Feliciano and the Reaper chatted away as they walked around from one vendor to the next while Berwald would nod and grunt his agreement to a comment from time to time.

The town really was quaint and beautiful, with its coast providing a panoramic view of the ocean. It was a mix of old and new architecture, some buildings seeming off in both time and place. On one road they would be stepping over cobblestones and a turn after that, nothing but dirt to pave the way. But it held a rustic charm that Feliciano ogled over and Berwald couldn't help but appreciate. It was different and new, something he never got to see back in his hometown.

"Do you think we need more coffee?"

"Hmm," the chef referred to his list. "I didn't write it down, but we can get some anyway!"

Berwald found himself enjoying this experience very much, simply carrying the groceries and having company. Back at the brothel, he carried out these kinds of errands alone and without aid. So it was truly nice to hear footsteps and a voice that was not his own beside him.

A few hours later, when they have weaved through majority of the town and most of the shopping was done, the Reaper turned to Feliciano. "Feli, why don't you and Berwald go on ahead and finish the rest of the items on the list? You two can then head back to the ship afterwards." He smiled sadly into brown eyes peering at him worriedly. "I have some errands to run myself for the captain, so I'll be in town for a bit longer. Was there anything else you wanted me to help you get while I'm here?" he offered.

"…!" That set off alarm bells in Berwald's head.

Feliciano pouted, but fished out a small list in his left pocket and handed it over to the rifleman. "Just this – it's a list of medicine Ludwig asked me to get for him,"

The Reaper glanced at the neat handwriting and requested items before folding the list and putting it away in his pocket. "Consider it done."

"I'll go with you," Berwald offered impulsively. The Reaper has been recovering nicely in the last few days, but that didn't mean the man should be out getting into a fight. If he had to go and kill someone here too, the Swede wanted to be there in case something went awry. He still owed the other that much.

But the Finn shook his head, looking at him with those dull violet eyes. "Feli needs help carrying everything back to the ship," he insisted.

Berwald was about to push the issue further when he felt hands tugging on his arm.

"Come back safe, ReeRee," Feliciano requested as he pulled the larger man away with him.

To this the Reaper replied "Don't worry, I will. It's just a small errand after all." He spared them both a smile and wave of his hand before turning around.

They parted ways on a dirt path.

By the time they were through with the shopping list, Feliciano ended up with only one bag of groceries in his hand while Berwald carried the rest along both arms.

"Ve, you're so strong, Ber! Just like Ludwig," Feliciano complimented as they made their way back to the Draugen. He was humming a tune while he walked.

"Mn, it's nothing," His mind wandered and concerns grew with each step he took.

Feliciano slowed in his pace a bit. "Don't worry, Ber," the Italian said knowingly, reading the Swede's mind. "ReeRee is strong, like you. He'll be fine," his eyes were soft as he tried to comfort the larger man.

"…"

"It's not that he hates you or anything when he didn't want your help. He just doesn't want you to get hurt,"

That may be, but it didn't quell Berwald's fears.

"He really is nice, and it's because he protects us that he's the one who ends up getting hurt all the time…It's why he's always in pain...and sometimes it's like he's fighting something all by himself,"

The comment made Berwald cringe inwardly. He knew exactly what the other meant, having witnessed it firsthand. Yes, that was exactly it. It was the reason why he was so worried. It was the reason why he wanted to help so badly.

Feliciano added "My big brother, grandpa, and Ludwig all lived in a small village on the coast of Italy…it kind of looked like this town," His voice was soft. "But then bandits came by one day and raided us. My grandpa died trying to protect Lovino and me…he was strong! He took a whole group of them out," He tried to sound optimistic about it, but his brown eyes swam with sorrow from the memory. "When I told them I surrendered and asked them not to hurt me, they just smiled…" he shuddered. "They were going to kill me and brother…but then the strangest thing happened," he paused and gave his companion a small smile.

Berwald coaxed the other to continue his story. "What happened?"

"A shadow broke into our home! He had a skull for a face and looked so scary," Feliciano giggled. "But he came in and took the rest of the bandits out by himself! I found out he was a pirate, and wondered what he was doing here…still, he came by and saved brother and me! He even offered to bring us back aboard his ship! We lost everything to the bandits and…and Ludwig didn't want to get left behind since his brother passed away the other year, so here we are." He concluded his story with a smile.

The taller blond nodded, a hint of a smile playing on his own lips. He was glad that this tale had a happy ending, especially since he knew the characters in this one.

"It's funny because sometimes, big brother and I would see our grandpa's ghost sailing alongside the Draugen, singing…It's like he wanted us to be there…like it was meant to be," The brunette then pouted a little as an afterthought crossed him. "What Lovino calls ReeRee isn't nice; he shouldn't be so mean like that…ReeRee's only trying to help…" But then his frown disappeared and he looked up at the bespectacled man gratefully. "But you're not scared of him, right? You went out with us today! I'm glad you're his friend too,"

 _Friend?_

The word had such a nice ring to it.

But before Berwald even had time to dwell on the concept, he felt the other pull him away from the main street and towards a candy shop.

"Ve, can we take a look inside here before we get back on the ship?" Feliciano pleaded. "We might be able to find some salmiakki here – it's ReeRee's favorite."

* * *

 _Hmm, this should do_

Now that they were separated, the Reaper could finally figure out who the person stalking them in town was really after. He slinked into an abandoned alleyway between two decrepit buildings and felt the presence still lingering behind him. Briskly, he continued down the alleyway, glad that it was him who was targeted and not the other two.

"…"

Once at the end of the narrow alley that opened up to the back of the buildings, the rifleman made a dash to the outskirts of town and into the woods. He heard someone give chase.

The sun was slowly starting to set now, and by the time the Reaper thought they were far away enough from everyone, he ended up in front of an abandoned lighthouse perched on the edge of a cliff overseeing the ocean.

"That's enough running now,"

The Reaper turned around to face the stalker. "Vash the Bounty Hunter…" he muttered the name. There was no mistaking it; he recognized the notorious man anywhere.

The blond was younger than the Reaper himself, but very talented, donning a forest green long coat with black epaulets falling off the shoulders, a black undershirt, white beret, brown hunting boots and rifle in hand. His mint green eyes were hard as they glared into dull violet ones. The white crosses pinned on the upper arms of his coat were a dead giveaway to his identity.

"You live up to your name and bounty…even in town, you never once let down your guard." Vash grimaced. "You provided no openings for me. Still, how bold of you to show your face around in broad daylight like this. I thought ghosts were afraid of the light,"

The rifleman offered him a small smile and light chuckle at the comment. "So I take it you've found the right person?"

Vash's grip around his rifle tightened. "You may dress differently than how you usually do, but there's no mistaking it – you really are the Reaper."

The Finn was surprised. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you know?" Most only knew him if he wore the mask, so he was glad when the other indulged him.

"I saw you without your mask once at Aurora Cove…one look was all I needed," he scowled at him. "I could never forget such a depraved face."

"…I'm sorry you had to see that,"

"Your apology is not what I'm here for, however." Vash cut in sternly.

The Reaper smiled at him softly. "Indeed not. But if I may ask just one more thing, was I the only bounty you were after today?"

The hunter stilled but admitted "No. I would have gone after the newly listed bounty, the Lion of the North first, but I had a feeling that if I did, then I would have become the hunted. Isn't that right, Reaper?"

The aforementioned man confirmed his suspicion. "I will not let you lay a finger on my friends, even if it's someone as dangerous as you, Vash." His voice got a bit lower, thin smile fading.

"Me? Dangerous? You give me too much credit, Reaper," the blond said humbly. "I'm not the one with a high price on my head,"

"Is there any way for you to change your mind about this?"

"Absolutely not."

Bounty hunters normally sought after the Finn, so he was not new to this type of confrontation. That was the reason why he preferred to stay on the ship if he could help it. The Reaper was honestly hoping that this small trip into town would be without its problems, but it was just his luck that he would be tracked down by one of the best hunters around. The condition of his body wasn't ideal either…

Nothing escaped those mint green eyes and Vash pointed out "Is the madness dulling your senses as well? You're already injured…this should make things a little easier for me," He was referring to the wound grazed across the bounty's shoulder and back. He then cocked his rifle and pointed it at the Reaper. "I want to end this quickly – I have a sister waiting for me back at home."

The Reaper's stance widened, violet eyes focused. "I agree. I have people waiting for my return as well."

"Humph, you make it sound like you're getting out of this alive!"

 **Bang!**

The first round went off, disrupting the tranquility of the forest behind them. Flocks of birds fluttered into the sky in all directions. Some of them fled towards the sun that has sunken halfway into the horizon now.

Vash missed his initial shot, the Reaper flitting out of the way by a margin of the bullet and was charging towards him. By the time he reloaded his rifle the platinum blond was upon him, tackling him to the ground. But he saw the attack coming and braced for impact, holding the rifle up to his chest between himself and the Reaper so that when his back hit the ground, the other's hands weren't around his neck. Using the momentum from the tackle, he pushed the other off him with his firearm.

But the Reaper was quick to react as well, redirecting the force and pushing down against the bounty hunter. Using the firearm as a platform for his hands, he propelled himself away from Vash, flipped forward and landed on his feet.

"You think you can defeat me without using your pistols? You're making a big mistake,"

"I don't want to kill you,"

"The feeling isn't mutual." Vash quipped abrasively. He was up and on his feet again, rifle poised and ready to fire. Although the bounty was at a slight disadvantage, he still had to be very careful, knowing what the other was capable of. The nose of the rifle trailed after the Reaper as the man circled slowly around him, the pirate refusing to pull out the royal blue and white firearms.

 _The moment he fires…_

 **Bang!**

The Reaper moved in again once the bullet missed him, charging at the younger blond.

 _What?!_

"Won't work a second time on me," Vash anticipated the man's pattern of attack and instead of trying to defend himself, he whipped out a dagger from within the linings of his green coat. He pointed the weapon straight out, waiting for the Reaper to run right into the blade.

The Reaper dug his tan boots into the dirt to stop his charge, only half succeeding and he ended up falling forward and cartwheeling to the side – away from the range of the dagger. He had little time to recover, however, as the bounty hunter sprang towards him.

The two sparred in the dirt for a while, with mostly the Reaper evading the blows and Vash throwing them with dagger in hand, making quick and successive stabs. Eventually the Finn caught the wrist and twisted it, forcing the bounty hunter to drop his weapon…but not before the younger blond pulled out a black multi-barreled pistol from his waist with his free hand and shot the Reaper at point-blank.

"I got you now!"

 _I should've guessed he would have more weapons than this…_

 **Bang!**

With as much force as possible, the Reaper jumped and flipped backwards, kicking Vash's arm to throw his aim off. Narrowly escaping the shot, he was still sailing through the air when he heard bullets whip by him as the grounded male fired from below.

 _I have no choice…_

After readjusting himself in midair, the Reaper pulled out his pistols from underneath his black sash and returned fire.

 **Bang! Bang!**

"Argh!" The dirt around Vash's leather boots erupted as it was spotted with bullet holes. The bounty hunter was able to dodge the brunt of the aerial barrage, but the Reaper's aim left little room for evasion. He suffered a shot to his left shoulder.

By the time the Finn landed on the ground again, he sprinted towards the lighthouse.

"Hey, get back here!" Once he was done reeling from the pain of the bullet, Vash followed suit and entered the abandoned structure.

Making his way inside the lighthouse, the Reaper took this time to assess himself and reload his flintlock pistols. The wound on his back still smarted, and he had a feeling it was reopening from the strain of this fight. Fresh blood ran from a small scrape alongside his head where a bullet whizzed past it. The gold chain on his hip was blasted off, hanging feebly by one end now.

 **Bang!**

A bullet embedded itself into the wall next to the Finn as he ran past it.

They fought up the spiral staircase, the light fading from the windows as night descended upon them.

It was a furious exchange of bullets.

The Reaper was ahead on the stairwell, but every once in a while he would be directly facing the other at a certain angle in the spiral. Vash would always be ready to greet him with a bullet each time this happened, staying still and waiting for him to get into position. But then the bounty hunter had to move as well when the Reaper returned fire and the whole process repeated itself until there were no more stairs to climb and they were outside on the gallery overlooking the dark ocean.

The sea breeze was cool and salty against their skin as they both breathed heavily from the engagement. It was completely dark outside, the stars the only source of light in the sky above them.

Vash made the first move once they landed on the gallery, knowing that there wasn't much space for the other man to run around and dodge his bullets.

 **Bang!**

"What?!" Unless his eyes were deceiving him, the Reaper had barely moved in order to draw his pistol first. It was so fast…"How-!" A searing pain tore through him when a second bullet landed in the same area as before – his left shoulder.

"I'm afraid this is goodbye, Vash. Take care of that wound,"

The bounty hunter leered at the Finn and raised his firearm once more. But before he could pull the trigger, the Reaper threw himself over the ledge of the gallery of the lighthouse and fell backwards. Haunting violet eyes looked up at him as the figure disappeared, taken away by the darkness below.

* * *

 _It's already night…_

Back on the Draugen, Berwald was in his cot with a tiny sewing needle between his large fingers. It appeared almost awkward, but deftly the needle weaved its way in and out of the material of the black long coat in the Swede's hands. Earlier that day, Berwald noticed that the Reaper's coat was still torn where the saber slashed through it. Thus, while they were in town today, he went and bought himself a sewing kit, grabbed the coat from the man's room and began working on it the moment he and Feliciano returned to the ship. It was a huge cut, but Berwald worked on it relentlessly and meticulously. And before he knew it, the window next to his cot ceased to provide light and he was working under a lantern instead.

 _Done!_

Cyan eyes then drifted to the tail of the coat. His fingers ran through the tattered ends, feeling it fray here and there. They were crusty and dyed with aged blood. Berwald thought about fixing these too, but on second thought went against it. It had a certain aesthetic to it, and some pieces at the end were just too torn to fix.

Turning the coat around to marvel at his work, the motion wafted the scent of the other even stronger towards Berwald's direction. It had lingered and kept the Swede company the whole time he was working. But now that there was nothing to keep him focused, Berwald brought the article of clothing up to his face, pushed his nose into the collar of the black long coat and breathed in deeply, inhaling the Reaper's scent. It was a distinctive smell, and he picked up traces of blood, sweat, gunpowder, and soil in it. It was the scent of death. But it was the Reaper's scent, and Berwald found himself taking huge whiffs of it from the long coat. He didn't know how long he had been doing this…it was as though the smell lulled him into a dazed state, his eyes slipping closed. But this trance was quickly shattered when he heard the sound of barking and soft footsteps from the stairwell leading to the sleeping quarters where he stayed.

"Arf! Arf!" Hanatamago pointed to Berwald who froze on the spot.

He was still holding onto the black garment tightly in his hands.

"You found where my coat went, good girl!" The Reaper came up from behind his dog and petted her lovingly.

Berwald was caught red-handed. He didn't even hear the other coming! Curses, he had planned on finishing it sooner and dropping the coat off on the chair again unnoticed. But then the tear was more than he had bargained for…and the Reaper's scent distracting him…and the sniffing, and Hanatamago…and Reaper…

 _This is so embarrassing!_

The poor Swede was so ashamed that he just wanted to slip through the cracks of the ship and out into the sea. His face was hot and flushed and he just knew it crept up to his ears when the Finn got closer.

"Berwald?"

He couldn't even make eye contact at this point. The sound of blood rushing in his ears was deafening and his breathing came out short and uneven.

"Did something happen? Are you all right, Berwald?"

At the sound of that concerned voice he finally snapped his head up and shoved the black long coat into the Reaper's arms. "Here!…I…I…the cut from before, sewing needle…was patchin' it up and gonna give it back ta ya…but dog and…'m sorry," His tongue was in knots and it sounded like babble even to his own ears when the words came out. But the Reaper seemed to understand all of it.

The Reaper chuckled softly, unfurling the article of clothing in question and inspecting it. "Oh my, you fixed my coat!" His fingers traced the needle work along the back and his eyes widened in awe. "What in the world are you apologizing for? This is incredible, Berwald!" He turned to face the taller blond on the cot who still refused to make eye contact and was biting his lip. "I simply must pay you for such fine work!"

"No!" The words snapped Berwald out of his mortified state. Payment from the other was out of the question. "It's ah, the least I can do…fer savin' my life…so thank you!"

 _I want to die!_

Berwald cursed himself for not saying so sooner. Why was he always late when it came to saying something so simple and earnest? Why was he feeling this way? It was too much!

The Finn's eyes were kind and gentle as he said "No, thank you, Berwald. You really are so talented!"

The Swede blushed even harder. It was getting hard to see because his glasses were fogging up from the heat. So in order to distract himself, he pulled the wired frames away from his face and rubbed at the lenses. The Reaper's face was still sharp and clear in his vision.

"I thought I had to bring this to a tailor, but you fixed it in a day!" The rifleman sounded elated. "I hope it didn't cause you too much trouble, but know that I appreciate your effort very much, Berwald," he grinned at the other.

"Mn…if…if there's anythin' else ya need fixin' just give 'em to me," Great, now he was talking too fast…

"Are you sure? I'll keep that in mind…thank you for your offer,"

By now Hanatamago was winding herself between her owner's legs, whining.

The Reaper kneeled down. "It's okay, Hanatamago, I'm okay."

Now that the initial embarrassment was beginning to fade and he regained some of his senses and composure, Berwald decided to look up. The rifleman was at his eye level from where he was sitting on the cot. He didn't notice it before, but in the lantern light it became obvious as to why Hanatamago was concerned.

The man had tried to hide his wounds, but he saw them. His shirt had fresh drops of blood on it, a bit of the crimson substance smearing on the side of his face and matting in his platinum blond hair. Small cuts grazed his arms, and the man looked like he encountered the natural elements. It was as though he ran through thickets of some kind and waded through mud or water.

"What happened?" Berwald's mouth hung open when he was done assessing the Finn. His concerns were manifesting.

 _Did he get into a fight? Was he out killing someone? Is he hurt?_

The Reaper slowly rose from his position on the floor and picked up Hanatamago in one arm. The other hand held onto the long coat. "Ah well, it took me longer than I expected to get the medicine. But the store was kind enough to open late...I already handed them over to Ludwig, so that's done," He slowed when the other blond looked at him imploringly. "A dog attacked me on the way back," he tried when cyan eyes trailed on his wounds.

Berwald quickly put away the sewing tools around his cot and instead pulled out a small medical kit he received from Ludwig in its place from beneath his cot. "Does it hurt?" He patted the spot next to him on the edge of the cot, silently asking for the other to sit. He wanted to have a better look.

"Oh, not really, I'll live," he offered and smiled, but nonetheless sat down next to the Swede. Gently placing Hanatamago and the coat on the cot, he then gave the other his scratched arm when the blond reached out for it and proceeded to treat his wounds.

The smell of blood, the sea, and gunpowder was even stronger now because the source of it was so close to Berwald. As carefully as he could and just like how the doctor taught him, he disinfected the wounds and wiped the area clean of blood. He was particularly gentle when he came towards the Reaper's head, brushing aside platinum blond hair nearly reverently in order to get to the graze there. The same amount of care was given when he rubbed the blood away from his cheek. At one point during the procedure, his hand subconsciously went around to the other's back and ran a finger along the bandage that was still there. Throughout the treatment, the Finn remained completely still, his eyes closed and a small smile gracing his thin lips. Berwald so wanted to know what the rifleman just went through, but that content face made him do otherwise.

A comfortable silence fell between them until the last of the minor injuries were tended to.

"Thank you so much, Berwald. You really are a man of many talents," The Reaper opened his violet eyes and turned them towards the bespectacled male. "Ludwig has been busy tending to the other crewmates...it's a good thing you're here. I don't want to bother him more than I already have."

Berwald only nodded. Unconsciously, he was still holding onto the bandaged arm in his hands. Only when the warm arm slipped through his grasp did he remember something and reached into the pocket of his beige coat to pull out a box of salmiakki for the Reaper to have. "We bought some after you left,"

The Finn's smile and eyes grew brighter when he saw the treat. "Can I really?"

"Mn." The blond watched contently as the other ripped open the box and began devouring the sweets. It made his heart light and flutter to see the Reaper like this, knowing that this took away the pain and discomfort the other felt if only for a little while. When Berwald was offered some, he took one as to not be rude, but only one. The Reaper had exquisite taste.

"Mm, this is the best way to come back aboard," the Reaper commented. Fatigue was set in his features, but he still smiled up at the man beside him and said "If this is what I return to when I have to go, then I'll definitely find a way back each time."

Berwald wanted to make sure the other did.

* * *

"Yer back," the North Sea King greeted his subordinate later that night.

They were in the Reaper's room once again. Mathias was leaning casually against the closed door while the owner of the room was sitting up in bed.

"What kept ya? The other two made it back before you did,"

"I was…held up," the rifleman started slowly. "Vash the Bounty Hunter spotted me."

At this the captain cocked an eyebrow. "Well I'm glad ya made it back here in one piece!" His usual grin fell a bit and he noted "Yer leaving the ship more often nowadays, don't cha think that's kinda risky? You're still injured too…and it could've gotten a lot worse by the looks of it,"

"Yes, perhaps…" the Reaper looked into the Dane's blue eye. "But I am only doing so in order to keep a better watch on Berwald, as you have ordered. He hasn't tried anything,"

The captain of the Draugen smirked then. "Good, good, I know I can always count on you, Reaper." He turned and opened the door to leave. "But do try to be more careful. I can't afford to lose my best rifleman, ya know?"

"Yes, of course, captain."


	13. Nemo

**Song Title: Nemo** by **Nightwish**

* * *

The air around the Draugen was sharper and colder than usual.

The place and feeling was familiar.

 _We're near…_ the Reaper felt it.

It was close to that time.

Slowly and quietly, the Reaper made his way to the navigation room where Lukas resided. He knocked on the door twice, hearing the eerie melody of a violin on the other side stop upon the intrusion. The door clicked open and he was met with the navigator's stoic gaze. He was let inside the quaint room while the other blond put the violin away in its cushioned case.

The room granted a marvelous view of the ocean, large windows lining majority of the walls and draped with elegant velvet curtains dyed a navy hue. A small bed hugged one side of the wall followed by an oak nightstand and next to that, a large desk. Maps of lands and oceans near and far plastered across the desk, held down by bronze compasses and protractors. On some of the walls were even more maps, displaying large land masses and continents. Some of them were marked and annotated. In the back on the far left corner rested a large bookshelf that stood as tall as the wall behind it. It was lined with hardcover books covering a variety of subjects from history to classical literature. A luxurious navy blue rug with golden tassels in the middle of the room completed the regal look of the space and brought it all together.

"Lukas, I have a request." He went on when the other nodded, the first mate's expression turning rather solemn as if he knew what was coming. "Can you please take us to shore for a bit?"

"Of course." Lukas agreed readily. It was a rather unorthodox place to land, but he knew this was important to the rifleman. "I'll set a course for that place and we'll anchor. I'll also inform Mathias and Emil of our stop. Take as much time as you need."

"Thank you, Lukas."

"Are you going to be all right?" His voice was laced with genuine concern.

The Reaper paused and then answered "I will be; I have to be. But it never gets any easier."

"No, it does not." Lukas empathized. He knew the pain; he felt it and shared it. "Not one bit…my condolences."

"Thank you, Lukas." The Reaper gave the other a grateful smile before taking his leave. He then made it back to his room where Hanatamago was lying fast asleep on his pillow. She has been doing that more and more often lately.

Hanatamago was an old dog, being with the Finn since he was a young boy. But as the years passed, he noticed the age setting in her bones. The Maltese was a ball of energy even in her late age, but with time she started losing the spring in her steps. Her pace was slower and she had a harder time getting up to walk when she did. She slept longer and more often in the day and preferred to be carried around. Her time was drawing near, and seeing as though they were close to the Reaper's homeland, he thought it would be fitting to take her there for what could be her last visit. She has lived for sixteen years – longer than most.

Eventually, the Draugen careened towards the rocky and dark shores of its destination.

The Finn prepared himself by bringing with him his twin flintlock pistols and donning his newly-patched black long coat. He left his mask behind for this. With Hanatamago wrapped in blankets in his arms, the Reaper set out into the snow alone. "Hang in there, girl, we're almost there."

The white Maltese continued to sleep, snuggling up against her owner's body heat.

For most of the journey inland, it was as silent as a cemetery, the only sounds heard were the crunching of snow under boots and howling of the wind.

"Well look what we got here, a traveler!" A raucous voice shattered the silence. "Yer a gloomy one, ain't cha?"

The Reaper had run into a group of bandits who made camp in the area, and like a pack of wolves, they surrounded the rifleman from all sides.

"You must be new here, stranger, so tell ya what - give us all yer gold and we'll let ya live."

"I don't have any with me," He responded, dull violet eyes set on the faces of the assailants, his tone solemn. "I have nothing of value."

Hanatamago began to whine.

"Oh? Then what's in that bundle of yers? Best not be lying, mate…could get ya killed!" One of them threatened.

"…Please let me through."

All the bandits drew their weapons.

"Your beggin' ain't gonna get cha nowhere, mate!" His patience all but lost, one of the bandits made the first move and lunged toward the newcomer. In the next second his head had a bullet in it and he fell face first into the snow.

"Kill him!"

The Reaper fought them off, using only one gun in hand at a time while the other was snuggly around Hanatamago.

"Yer wide open!"

"…!" He raised his arm up in order to prevent a stab from reaching his Maltese and the blade went through his forearm instead. The bandit had snuck up from behind but was quickly given a bullet through his skull.

By the time the last shot of a gun rang in the area, shrieking tundra winds took its place.

As the Reaper continued past the camp and bodies of the bandits, the tattered ends of the black long coat kissed the snow and faces of the dead, lapping up their blood in the process.

"…"

"Hana?"

She remained unresponsive to his coddling. Her body was as cold as the snow around them. She had died some time while he was fighting and was at eternal rest now.

He gave her one last kiss on top of her freezing head and held her tightly in both arms.

The Finn's footsteps were heavy as he made the rest of the trek truly by himself.

He finally reached his destination when he saw the old family home, now just a skeleton of its former self. The frame and walls have all but burned down, leaving charred pillars here and there sticking out from the snow. The fireplace was a mound of rubble sitting forlornly among a blanket of white.

He continued walking to the "back" of the cottage where two unkempt gravestones stood out from among the wreckage. "Mother, father, I'm home."

Silently in the driving blizzard, he dug a small grave with his gloved hands and buried Hanatamago next to his parents.

She was the last remnant of his past and family.

"I'm so sorry, Hanatamago, but I still can't cry no matter how hard I try…It hurts so much," He fell onto both knees near the gravestones, the rest of his body collapsing forward soon after and his face in the snow. After a while, he turned over onto his back and laid there over their graves, the snowflakes melting on his heated cheeks and streaming down his face.

The sky above was as ashen and gloomy as he last remembered it to be…some things never changed.

It wasn't fair that they have all gone before him and he had to stay. The Reaper was the last link to this place…a ghost wandering the earth and visiting the site from time to time. Oh how he wanted to melt with the snow and join them.

 _Take me away from here_

Hoping that the cold and wound on his arm would be enough to send him over to the afterlife, he stayed there for a long time and closed his eyes.

But he knew this deep sleep was only temporary, and that he would once again be out at sea, drifting aimlessly with no purpose in life.

All around him, the wind moaned his sorrow.

* * *

 _What's going on? Why did we stop here?_

Back on the ship, Berwald was growing concerned over their situation. The fact that he was called upon by the captain only made it worse.

"Ah there he is, just the man I wanted to see!" Mathias grinned widely when he saw the Swede enter his quarters. He stopped fiddling with a gold coin in his hand and rose from his leather chair. "Have a seat!"

As usual, Berwald chose to stand.

The captain didn't take any offense to this, however, now used to his subordinate's behavior. He tossed the coin in the air and caught it as he said "Listen, Ber, I have a very special task for you – go out and bring me back the Reaper."

"What?" Did he hear the other right?

 _Why? What happened? Is he all right?_

The captain answered the questions in his head without knowing it.

"Reaper's been out there in the snow for too long now. Fetch him for me, will ya?" he chuckled darkly. "That guy can get pretty suicidal, even for me!" At that point Mathias' blue eye glimmered playfully, black gloved hand clutching the coin tightly. "But death never takes him."

Berwald took in the morbid words.

"You should find 'im if ya keep walking north inland. I'm givin' you the honors 'cause I trust ya enough. You'll also be rewarded handsomely," he winked and added that last part enticingly.

Berwald didn't want the other's trust in the first place…but the task itself was what motivated him. "Okay." He turned and made his way out of the room swiftly.

"And hurry it up, would ya? There's nothin' to do here and my men are freezing!" the Swede heard the other holler behind him.

 _What is this place?_

The moment he got off the Draugen, Berwald was met with the full force of the chilling winds and cold. He pulled on his beige coat tighter around himself as he walked off the shoreline and into the driving snow.

There was no reason to visit a barren place such as this. There were no towns nearby, so what good was it to stop here? Why did the Reaper set off here of all places?

Berwald slowly began to realize why Mathias "entrusted" him with this task – even if he disobeyed and tried to run away, he wouldn't get very far. There was nothing but snow for as far as the eye could see. He didn't exactly know where he was, and if he was lucky he could survive for a few days out here…but it wasn't worth the risk and the captain knew that. There was also the task that held him back – finding the rifleman and making sure he was safe.

It wasn't long before the blond came into contact with a mass of bodies lying haphazardly on the ground, staining the white snow crimson with their fresh blood. Their bodies were already turning blue and rigid in the freezing temperatures.

 _Did he come by here?_

A single set of footprints, although quickly being covered up by the snow, emerged from the pile of bodies and continued inland.

He followed the trail, a sense of urgency rising within him.

 _Where are you?_

A dark, fallen structure soon came into view amidst the blanket of white around him and he instinctively veered towards it.

"Reaper!" Berwald couldn't help but shout the name when he saw something akin to the rifleman up ahead. "Dear gods…" He could see his breath quickly leaving him in massive puffs as he rushed over to the figure.

Ravens were near the still body, but made no effort to pick at its flesh. They squawked at the newcomer aggressively before taking off as the large man approached them.

Berwald found the Reaper frozen next to a couple of gravestones. He immediately kneeled down and placed his head on the rifleman's chest. He nearly chocked when he heard a heartbeat and his hand shot up to feel the other's faint breath.

The Reaper was still alive, his body icy, but he was just sleeping. He looked completely content here with his face calm and hands folded over his chest…like an angel in the snow.

Without another second to waste, the Swede scooped the smaller male up into his arms bridal style and stomped back the way he came. He held the other close, trying to keep him warm until they were back on the ship.

"It's warm…why is that?"

He slowed when he saw the Reaper stir and open his eyes, revealing violet orbs that were as ashen as the sky above them.

"Hmm, oh…hello there, Berwald," The platinum blond greeted him, as if only now seeing the man and made no attempt to move, simply letting Berwald carry him. He didn't even have the strength to smile sadly at him like he usually did.

"Reaper…" The rifleman was heavy for some reason, and he felt his body heat draining from him the longer he held onto the other. But he continued to do so.

"You really don't have to do this, Berwald. Why won't you just leave me in the snow?" The Reaper laughed, but it was a hollow sound - mirthless…devoid of life. He closed his eyes again. "This is where I belong."

Any form of scolding and protest died in Berwald's throat when he looked into that face. Those dull eyes showed themselves once more, but they weren't looking at him. They were distant and unfeeling, staring at something long since gone.

The Reaper wasn't all there at the moment.

"Have you ever wondered how it would feel like to have your eyes plucked out by ravens? Or maybe your flesh? Must be just a prickly feeling…like tiny needles going into your skin over and over again," The Finn commented morbidly as they passed by the group of dead bandits again, the black birds swarming over the carcasses and getting their share of meat.

The winged scavengers paid no heed to the two men passing them, faces and beaks red and black eyes piercing when they saw them go.

"If you dig a grave that's too shallow, they'll find the body. Ravens can sense death, you know,"

"…"

 _What has gotten into you? What happened back there?_

Berwald tried to keep his thoughts to himself during the rest of the trek and on board the Draugen. Even when he was in the Reaper's room and tending to the stab wound on the other's forearm, he did not question him.

The Reaper remained numb to it all – his senses, his surroundings, the pain and even the person next to him. When Berwald was done with his work on him, he laid down on his bed to his side and faced the window.

There were so many questions and feelings all garnering for Berwald's attention that he choked on them. They were overwhelming him and so mechanically, once he has done what he had set out to do, he took his leave.

"Thank you, Berwald."

The Swede whirled around, hoping to see that porcelain face smiling at him sadly. But all that met him was the other's back, the stitch on the coat visible and tattered ends draping off the edge of the bed. He left without another word, heart heavy and body cold from something other than the air around him.

* * *

The Reaper remained in his room for the next few days.

Berwald noticed that during those days, Hanatamago was not there to comfort the rifleman nor approach him in his cot. He didn't see a ball of fur scurrying in the halls or hear excited barks on any part of the ship. He actively sought her multiple times, calling out her name in an attempt to get her attention, but there was never a response. Soon enough, now with more time to himself to think, something soon pieced together in his mind. Everything the Maltese had shown him and what he saw in the snow began to meld together, providing him a better albeit still vague idea – that day, the Reaper was off burying his last family member.

It saddened Berwald to know that he would no longer be able to pet that curly fur and hold his furry companion in his arms. Aside from a handful of the crewmates, she was the only one who approached him warmly and befriended him. In her own way, she understood him far better than most. Hanatamago became a part of his life on the ship before he knew it and now she was gone.

But if the blond was feeling this empty from the loss, he could only imagine how much worse it was for the Reaper…

He was fortunate enough to run into the rifleman late one night after collecting his pay from the captain. The Finn was heading back to his room after Berwald just exited through the double doors, their paths crossing in the hallway.

The Reaper was unusually quiet when he saw Berwald staring at him.

Who knew the Swede would have to be the talkative one? It was as though their roles have reversed.

"I'm sorry…for your loss," He mumbled, but he was close enough to the other that he knew he could hear him.

"Mm…"

"…I never had a pet before. I considered Hana like my own…I miss her too," He hoped his expressed condolence was articulate enough. He just had to say something to that blank face!

The Reaper nodded mutely.

Berwald then pulled something out from the pocket of his beige coat and held it out to the Finn. "Here,"

Slowly, the platinum blond took the object from the other's hand.

It was a small wooden figurine carved in the Maltese's likeness. The details were all there from the curl of her fur to the bandana on her head.

The Reaper remained speechless, eyes wide and mouth slightly open, unable to even give him a sad smile. Fingers curling gingerly around the Swede's gift, with light hands he held it close to his chest. "Thank you…" he whispered, and that was all Berwald had hoped to hear. "Thank you…"


	14. Myths and Adventures

**Song Title: Myths and Adventures** by **Peter Crowley**

* * *

The life of a pirate didn't spare any sentimental feelings such as loss and grief.

The moment the North Sea King knew the Reaper was back on board the Draugen, he ordered for the anchor to be hoisted and the ship set on a new course.

A couple of weeks passed since the incident in the snow, and the Reaper seemed to be getting better. He was social again albeit quieter than usual. Nevertheless, this relieved many of the crew members, Berwald being no exception.

It was a bright and sunny afternoon when they landed on a small deserted island.

"All right mateys, start diggin'!" was the captain's order.

The crew members were spread out across the sandy shoreline of the remote island, each with a shovel in hand in an attempt to find what the North Sea King and all pirates were looking for - treasure.

A while ago, the crew found a lead from a merchant saying that a band of pirates have buried their treasure here in this exact location. Ever the ambitious one, Mathias quickly set course for the island in an attempt to beat everyone else to it and steal the rival pirate's bounty.

It was hot, the sun beating down on Berwald's back so badly that he had taken off his beige overcoat and tied it around his waist instead. His hands with the black gloves on them tightened around the shovel with renewed vigor as he dug into the white sand. He had no idea how wide or deep he should be digging until he expected something.

But at least he wasn't alone in this task. Seeing as though the area was safe enough, Feliciano, Ludwig, and a disgruntled Lovino also joined in the effort. Erland and Peter were doing their best as well even though they took frequent breaks to play in the lagoon nearby…not that anyone minded. On the far end of the shoreline was the Reaper, working silently with his black long coat draped over his shoulders.

They were all being supervised by the captain and his brothers.

It felt like ages of slinging sand and a hole that was large enough to bury himself in until Berwald heard an excited voice near him.

"Ve, I think I got something!"

"Let me see!" Lovino demanded, running over to his younger brother's spot and shoving the other aside. He swore. "Why are you always the lucky one?!"

"Uwah…I…I don't know! Please don't get mad, brother!"

"Now let's see here," the captain bounded over to the bickering brothers.

"Aww no fair!" Peter whined.

By now, all the other crew members have stopped what they were doing and flocked around the two chefs.

The captain did the honor of clearing away the rest of the sand on top the object to reveal a simple chest beneath. He opened the brown chest and found what he was looking for. "And there she is," he smirked.

"Hmm, the amount is rather small for it to be buried," Lukas noted, hovering over the hole. But his older brother waved at him dismissively.

"I dunno why yer gettin' picky all of a sudden, Nyk. Doubloon is still doubloon!" His next orders were for them to dig the chest out, retrieve it, and haul it back onto the ship. He patted the brunette chef on the back for a job well done.

"Did you hear that, Ludwig? I did it, I did a good job!" Feliciano bounded over to the doctor, his face flushed.

Try as he might, the German couldn't suppress a smile from spreading across his face as he said "Yes, Feli, I did. Wonderful work,"

The crew was in high spirits as they hefted the chest on board the Draugen and set sail once more.

 **Boom!**

The tiny island was still in view when the ship suddenly rocked violently from getting hit by cannon fire.

"What the hell?!"

"Yep…" Emil muttered above from the crow's nest, unamused. A cannonball whizzed past the mast as he lowered his telescope and said "It's an ambush…they're flanking us. Ready the cannons and return fire!"

"So it _was_ a trap to lure us in after all," Lukas leered at the captain with his dull navy eyes.

The North Sea King refused to acknowledge his folly. "Whatever, I ain't givin' back what's mine now! Give me half sails! We can take 'em on, right, men?" He turned the steering wheel in order to reposition the Draugen.

"Aye aye, captain!" The crew still had high morale.

"There's three ships after us! One's up ahead!" the second mate added. He swung down from his post and landed on the helm next to his brothers.

"Squawk! Three ships! Up ahead, squawk!" Emil's puffin repeated.

Any crew members raring to fight were scrambling on the deck and arming themselves.

"Great, look what you did, idiot! Now we're all gonna get killed!" Lovino quipped while he, his brother, and the doctor retreated below deck.

"Uwah! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"It's not his fault!" Ludwig's voice shrilled as another cannonball flew by them and crashed into the water.

Steel staff in hand, Berwald glared when the ships were nearly upon them and he could see the rag-tag group of pirates on the deck beside them. The other ships weren't as massive as the Draugen, but they had power in numbers.

 _Are they…?_

"Get down!"

"Hurry and fire the cannons now! Before they shoot us-!"

 **Bang!**

A volley of rifles went off at them.

"Damn it!" Mathias scanned the deck of his ship to quickly assess the damage. "Riflemen, return fire!" His eye fell on the best one in his crew. "Reaper!"

From where Berwald was crouched behind the rails in order to avoid getting hit, he whipped his head around to a commotion near him.

"Look out, Peter!"

"Wah!"

The Reaper, seeing the incoming fire, ran towards the boy and pulled him down onto the deck. He held Peter tightly in his arms as they landed on the hard wooden floorboards, shielding the young blond from the bullets. One nicked his shoulder as a result.

"ReeRee!" Peter peered at the skull mask of the other.

"I'm fine. I need you to head inside, Peter."

But the young pirate shook his head obstinately; he was being more courageous than usual today. "Uh uh! I won't get hurt, promise! I wanna fight too!" He pulled himself up when his role model shifted away from him.

"This isn't the time for-"

 **Thump!**

"Hey! Why's it so dark all of a sudden?! Hey! Lemme out!" Peter's voice got muffled and his vision went dark when something enveloped around him. He pounded against the walls of his confines.

"Berwald?"

The bespectacled blond saw what happened and resolved the situation by grabbing a large empty wooden crate and throwing it over the boy. He eventually scooped the crate up with Peter in tow and ran off with it. The crate would serve as a good hiding spot if he stayed inside it…"I'll handle this," He said over his shoulder before taking off and trying to find Erland as well. It was his fault for not taking them down to the lower levels of the ship sooner. The Swede didn't wait for the Reaper's response before carrying out his mission amidst the chaos. He could hear Mathias rallying.

"Give 'em hell, boys!"

"Don't let them board us!"

By the time Berwald made it back out onto the deck after having a quick word with a sulking Peter, one of the ships, the one in the front, was already sinking from taking too much cannon fire. The floor beneath him continued to shake and sway from the naval battle.

The Reaper, standing near the rails of the Draugen, was firing away at the enemy pirate members. For each shot, a body fell dead on the other ship. And although he kept them at bay for as long as he did, continuously holding them off from two fronts became too much. There were too many and the enemy eventually set up wooden planks connecting the ships and began running over to their side. He switched back to his flintlock pistols when this happened.

The Lion of the North made sure that the newcomers wouldn't make it very far. He beat any of the enemy pirates' faces in or broke their bones should they neared him.

"They sure saved us the trouble of goin' over there!" Mathias more than welcomed the on-boarders and met them with his pole axe, Emil taking his place behind the steering wheel along with Lukas.

The chances of winning for the ambushing pirates grew slim as the fray went on. Their second ship has sunk and left only the one with the enemy captain on it.

"Damn you!" The enemy pirate captain cut off the boarding planks after making his retreat to his own ship. "I'll get ya for this!"

"Don't let 'em escape!" The North Sea King's order rang out loud and clear on the deck.

The Reaper was on it, but there was no time to reload a rifle and open fire. He needed to get in closer somehow…then he saw Berwald busy launching a stranded enemy over the rails with a swing of his steel staff. He dashed towards the taller male. "Lion, I need a lift!"

Berwald heard the other's request before spinning around and seeing him run in his direction. The nickname was still a bit foreign to him, but he understood what the Reaper was asking of him and kneeled, forming a platform with his hands so that the rifleman could step on it before propelling him into the air. He was glad to see his attempt was a success.

The Reaper raised his royal blue pistol and pulled the trigger while still in midair.

 **Bang!**

A subordinate of the enemy captain's laid dead while the man himself was making his way to the lower levels of the ship.

The Reaper gave chase the moment his feet touched the deck of the foreign ship.

 _I gotta go help him!_

Not wanting the Reaper to face the man alone, Berwald backed up on the deck of the Draugen to give himself enough running space before throwing himself over the rails. For a moment, as the ends of his beige coat fluttered behind him and he saw nothing but the blue ocean below his feet, the Swede began to question his actions.

 _Dear gods…what am I doing? What happens if I don't make it to the other side?! This is reckless!_

Thankfully, he leapt far enough to barely land on the edge of the enemy ship. His landing wasn't as graceful as the Reaper's, but at least he made it. He followed suit after the other two once he steadied himself and made his way deeper into the ship. It wasn't too hard to know where the pirates went, the outside noise dying down the further he went into the vessel. The Lion of the North knocked any opposing pirates hiding away on the ship unconscious with his staff should they try to stop him from finding their captain.

 **Clang!**

The sounds of skirmish bounced down the hallway and soon enough Berwald saw the Reaper struggling with someone in the captain's cabin. As he approached the end of the hallway that led to the room, he made eye contact with the Finn through the other's mask for a second before the unusual happened.

 **Slam!**

The rifleman closed the door behind himself just as Berwald was about to step inside the room. He locked the taller blond out.

"Reaper!" He tried the doorknob and pushed, but found that something on the other side was blocking the door…something heavy. He heard a soft voice float through to him.

"It's okay, you can go on ahead without me."

 _No!_

The sound of gunfire and objects being thrown to the floor only egged Berwald on to try the door again. He banged on the poor door incessantly and threw his body against it. "Let me in! Reaper!"

* * *

The door rattled on its hinges as the Swede on the other side relentlessly tried to get it to give way and open.

But the Finn didn't have too much time to dwell on the fact that he could hear panic rising in the other man's voice.

"Ya sure it was a good idea to leave yer friend like that? Bad move, mate…'cause yer gonna need all the help ya can get against me!" The enemy captain, with his long red beard and wooden pegleg, smirked at the masked man in a cocky manner. He brandished a pistol in one hand and saber in the other.

 _That may be…but I don't want him to get involved_

The Reaper prepared himself for another attack.

"Now then…" the gruff captain pointed his pistol. "Time to die!"

 **Bang!**

The first shot missed, but the captain quickly followed it up with a flurry of slashes from his saber.

 _I can't get a proper shot in…_

He only had one bullet left - he had to make it count.

"I gotcha now, you worm!"

The Reaper backed up until his legs bumped into the desk behind him. But just as an overhead swing descended upon him, he flipped back and over the furniture, landing on the other side just before the blade came down and split the desk in two.

 **Boom!**

The ship leaned heavily on its right side as it took another blow to its hull from a cannonball outside, the force of the impact throwing both pirates in the captain's cabin off balance. The broken desk and other furniture around them jostled violently and toppled over.

 **Bam!**

"What the-ack!" The enemy captain stumbled and keeled forward when a metal staff hit him on the side of his head.

 **Bang!**

Using the distraction provided to him, the Reaper drew his pistol and shot his opponent right between the eyes.

The pirate captain's body slumped, revealing a tall blond behind him.

"Berwald..."

"Mm." The bespectacled man grunted, a bit out of breath from his efforts to even get into the room. He turned to the object that obstructed him for so long - a tall grandfather clock now lying on its side. He had to push that whole thing aside just to squeeze through.

 _Thank the gods I made it in time_

Another round of cannon fire struck the ship and it groaned in agony...loudly.

"No, Berwald!"

"Oof!" The aforementioned man's vision suddenly veered towards the ceiling of the captain's cabin and his body pushed down to the floor. Something warm was on top of him...

Before he could even register what happened, the creaking of the ship rose to a crescendo and exploded into a deafening crash right next to them. Clouds of dust and splinters rose as the space in the captain's cabin was suddenly reduced in half by the ship's mast that had broken off and fallen into the room. The large pillar did not collapse all the way through - it leaned precariously at an angle into the floorboards and rested there, obscuring the other side of the room. The ship's owner was caught under the wreckage.

It was a few seconds before Berwald could see what was in front of him. Amethyst eyes were hovering over him.

 _What?_

His mask having fallen off from the shockwave of the collision, the Reaper had pushed him out of harm's way and covered him from most of the debris that flew up from it. He was on top of the Swede, straddling him.

"Are you all right?"

"..."

Their bodies were pressed up against each other at this point and Berwald had his arms around the Finn before he even knew what happened. He just instinctively grabbed onto the other in front of him upon landing on his back. His hands finally fell away as he answered "Uhn...y-yeah..."

"Thank goodness," The Reaper reached down and readjusted the glasses that were skew on Berwald's face for him before getting off the taller man. He picked up his mask on the floor and pocketed it into his long coat.

Those fingers left his face too soon, taking the warmth with them. The rifleman held out a white gloved hand, to which Berwald accepted this time without thinking and was slowly helped up to his feet. He then had the time to really assess the situation.

The windows lining the captain's cabin seemed to be getting closer to the water for some reason.

 _We're sinking?!_

This was why the other didn't want him to follow - he didn't want Berwald to get trapped in here too.

They were alone in the small space of a sinking ship with a dead body.

 _Oh dear gods!_

Berwald's heart began to pound as it all set in. He ran towards the large windows and saw that they have broken through the water's surface and were now going below it. What in the world did he get himself into?! He was close to losing it when he saw a school of fish swim by the windows. The limited air around him became thin.

From behind the caved-in doorway and cracks in the walls, water began seeping into the room. The ship was beginning to capsize.

Berwald heard the Reaper rummaging around the enclosed space, pushing certain spots to see if they would move. Nothing budged. The Swede went up to him and tried doing the same, but even their combined force wasn't enough.

"Hmm..." The rifleman was contemplative when he turned over to his crewmate and saw his pale face.

 _Oh dear gods, we're trapped! We're gonna drown! No, no, no!_

Berwald's face may appear stoic, but his mind was reeling with thoughts and hysteria. Would anyone come and find them here? They were going to drown and no one was going to help!

 **Crack!**

"It'll be okay, I have a plan." The Reaper's calm voice reached out to him.

"...!" He turned around to see what his companion was doing and it nearly made him want to hyperventilate.

 _What are you doing?! He's crazy! Why let more water in?! No, no, no! What kind of plan is this?!_

It must have been the increasing water pressure getting to the pirate that was causing his odd behavior…that was definitely it.

Borrowing the bespectacled blond's weapon, the Reaper was batting away at a thick glass window until it cracked and shattered in one spot, a jet stream of ocean pouring forth from it and into the small space.

The Swede just stood there and gawked until the questionably sane man approached him and returned his staff. The warm hand from before returned and clasped on his shoulder.

The water was at their waists now.

The rifleman's eyes were soft and smile reassuring as he said soothingly "Everything will be all right. Please trust me," He turned and pulled out the dead captain's saber from underneath the corpse. "We'll make it out of here alive, I promise. But I need your help – please lend me your strength, Berwald."

The other's smooth and light voice rose above the roaring waters spewing from the cracked glass, having a calming effect on him and the thumb rubbing small circles into his shoulder melted the tension there.

Yes, he trusted the Reaper. He unconsciously always have since they first met on the brothel keeper's ship. He would continue to trust him.

With a stiff nod, Berwald clutched his weapon tightly in his hands and waded through the water towards the broken window. As he followed the Finn's lead and bashed the glass in further, he soon understood.

With the saber, the rifleman would slice the glass up, making it easier for him to apply brute force and shatter the window with his staff.

They continued this until the pane was nearly non-existent, only the sharp corners and edges remaining but the hole big enough for a body to squeeze through. This was going to be their way out of the condemned ship.

It was growing dark, the rays of sunlight above waning as they descended deeper and deeper. But as soon as the pressure stabilized between the captain's cabin and ocean outside and the room flooded so that their heads nearly touched the ceiling to stay above the water, they had to move. There was no more time to waste. With one last breath of air, the Reaper asked Berwald to swim out through the broken window first and guaranteed him that he would be right behind him.

Berwald has never swum faster or harder before in his life, kicking furiously towards the beams of light breaking through the ocean's depths. Never once did he turn back to face the other or the ship that disappeared from view as it continued its journey down to the abyss. His lungs burned and eyes stung, but he didn't stop until he reached the surface and was greeted with a cool sea breeze and the sound of seagulls above him.

"It's good to know you can swim,"

The blond turned to the man floating beside him, platinum blond hair soaking wet and sticking to his face. "Uhn…" So playing with Peter and Erland in the water did come in handy after all…

 _Oh thank the gods we're alive!_

The Reaper's violet eyes shone with genuine relief by the fact that the other made it out safely, a small, sad smile gracing his lips.

"Squawk! There they are!"

"Hey you two," a third voice joined them. Emil with puffin in tow came towards them in a small rowing boat. He helped the two drenched men up onto the boat as he stammered "Sorry about that…I didn't know you guys were still on that ship before I blew it up. Guess I got carried away…" He averted his magenta eyes from them, a small pout on his face and a hand flicking the golden hoop on his ear.

* * *

By late afternoon, the sea knew tranquility once more, the Draugen leaving the island and sunken ships far behind it.

The North Sea King whined to his brothers because they sank the main ship without retrieving the rest of the treasure first.

They ignored him entirely.

But if there was one thing the captain kept to himself, it was his observations of today's battle. Mathias noticed that the Lion of the North fought better and harder when the Reaper was nearby. The Swede even went so far as to hop onto an enemy ship alone just to follow his best rifleman. No, that little detail didn't escape his sky blue eye at all. It was a most interesting development and he was going to make sure to use this to his advantage the next time he sent his Berwald into combat.

* * *

The wound on the Reaper's shoulder stung with salt water, but the man didn't seem to notice as he continued to casually talk to Berwald on his cot. It was as though he didn't feel it at all…

It surprised the taller blond when the rifleman visited him, asking for his help in patching him up instead of going to Ludwig.

The Reaper has provided that he didn't want to add to the doctor's hefty burden because of today's battle, and that he knew Berwald would do an excellent job.

Of course Berwald couldn't say no to such a request and immediately set to work on the injury. It was an honor. Once that was done, the Reaper stayed seated there beside him for a bit longer, asking how he was doing after the day's events.

They were both still soaked, their coats taking the longest to dry and it clung heavily on their respective shoulders.

During the conversation, the Finn made no attempt to call Berwald out for his actions in the captain's cabin. He simply skimmed over that last part and didn't reprimand him for "disobeying" him, making it as though it never happened. Instead, the platinum blond focused on Berwald's feats and complimented him on a job well done. He thanked him for his efforts and praised his ingenuity in his method to escort Peter off the deck.

Berwald felt himself blushing from all the praise and attention. Again, this was something he wasn't used to. He didn't know if it was something he ever could. So he simply kept his eyes down and shook his head, refusing to be regarded so highly. "It's nothing…I just got stepped on, that's all…"

The Reaper chuckled lightly. "Now don't think like that, Berwald. You did so much more than that; you need to give yourself more credit."

"Mm." A moment of silence lapsed between them before Berwald couldn't help himself from asking "Why?"

"Hm?"

"Back on the ship…why d'ya close the door?"

 _Why did you lock me out?_

At this question the Reaper turned to look Berwald straight in his cyan eyes. "Your life is worth far more than mine. If it ever came down to something like today's situation where one of us might not have made it, I would gladly give myself up." He smiled sadly when the other did nothing but stare at him. "I would feel at ease knowing that it would be you who puts me into the ground-"

"Don't say that!" Berwald shouted and suddenly rose to his feet before he knew it. His eyes were wide in disbelief at what the other was saying, mouth set grim. His face heated up from a swell of emotions he couldn't quite identify. He didn't know why he was so upset all of a sudden or why his cheeks burned but he continued "Don't say such things…you should never tempt fate!"

The smile quickly crumbled from the Reaper's face, as fragile as it seemed. His violet eyes were downcast as he whispered "I'm sorry, I have a horrible sense of humor." The solemn smile returned, but not as strongly.

The rifleman was still awfully morbid and Berwald just knew it was because he wasn't over Hanatamago's death.

Berwald was about to open his mouth to apologize, but the words refused to pass his lips. He wasn't sorry for what he did back on the ship or what he just said to the other. He has never felt a stronger conviction than this one. Hearing the Reaper talk about throwing his life away made his blood run cold.

"Please promise me this, Berwald," the Reaper's soft voice suddenly reached out to him. "Promise me that you'll go on living. That no matter what, you'll find a way, that you won't give up and keep fighting," Those violet eyes gazed at him evenly, imploringly.

Apprehensively, Berwald nodded his head as though compelled to do so by that angelic face still slightly damp from the sea.

In the back of his mind, he wondered if the Reaper could promise him the same thing.

* * *

The thought just so happened to cross Berwald's mind at dusk while he was out on the deck shuffling cargo around.

The orange sun ahead of them began to set below the watery horizon, splashing the ocean with one final array of warm reds, yellows, and purples before leaving nothing but blackness to take its place. Just as quickly as that the sky became a canvas for the stars and moon instead.

The thought in the Swede's mind was actually more of a feeling than anything, and it was a feeling that developed towards the Reaper.

 _It's not love…_

With his upbringing, Berwald knew love didn't exist. It wasn't there when he was born, it wasn't there when he was at the orphanage, and it definitely didn't exist in the brothel. Love was easily bought and fictitious, found in the arms of one of his former coworkers or between the pages of a book. Someone like him wasn't capable of such feelings…especially given his circumstances. The Reaper tricked him into this life of piracy – he held him here against his will.

So then, why wasn't he bitter or angry towards the rifleman?

In fact, it came as a surprise even to himself when he began to notice the other more often than he should. He held onto the Reaper's every word, perceptive in the small way his mouth would twitch into that sad smile, stare into those dull violet eyes longer than was considered normal until it borderlined awkward, and couldn't help but wonder sometimes what the man's real laugh sounded like.

He continued his rifle training despite hating the very idea of holding a gun, but did so in order to get close to and spend time with the other. He wanted those eyes to continue gazing at him, even if what he was doing in front of the Finn was embarrassing to himself. He could never win against those empty bottles…

The Reaper was kind and polite to everyone on the ship, so Berwald shouldn't take any of the compliments and praise given to him personally.

But he did.

He cherished each kind gesture, smile, praise, and encouragement the platinum blond gave him, thinking in his mind that they were special and only meant for him. He was always a sucker for kindness, a perpetual fool for these types of acts – which may explain why he tried a little bit harder to please the customers who treated him nicely.

The Swede grew up never knowing whether he preferred men or women – he has had both in his line of work and both were equally cruel and heartless.

But here on the Draugen, this man was treating him with respect, kindness, and care. He felt appreciated and valued when he was with the Reaper – something he never experienced back at the brothel. His life was worthy enough that the other wouldn't hesitate to give up his own for him.

Later on when he saw how crestfallen the other became after losing Hanatamago, he soon found himself wanting to hold the man in his arms whenever deep sorrow passed through those violet eyes if only to comfort him. It took all of his will and effort to keep himself in check.

He wanted to do something to help, to repay the man for everything he has given him. He wanted to be more to the Reaper in some way.

Berwald began to question why he felt this way towards the rifleman…why he acted the way he did and said the things he said to the Finn.

It terrified him.

He didn't believe in love nor ever wanted to fall in it.

Never that.

So Berwald kept telling himself that it was just a simple infatuation, curiosity over the mysterious Reaper that he was feeling.

It was a feeling that was to be buried with him like sunken treasure when he died. He swore on the sea he was forced to sail on that that was how it was going to be.

Too bad the ocean was a turbulent, fickle, and tumultuous thing.

Who knew he would be plundered so soon, and that he would be tested one evening?


	15. Tragedy

**A/N:** Hello! I just wanted to take the time again to thank all you wonderful readers both old and new for your support and love! I like to think we're finally getting somewhere with these two XD Also, as I'm slowly learning how to use AO3 (under the name D3athz_C4lling), expect this story to be posted there too for your convenience in the future. ^^

 **Song Title: Tragedy** by **Malena Ernman**

* * *

"C'mon Ber, quit draggin' yer feet! Or we'll leave ya behind!"

"Mmph."

According to everyone on the ship, tonight was an auspicious night. They have just set anchor in a seedy town that welcomed wrong-doers of all kinds. The law had a loose grip on them in this nearly isolated suburb.

Berwald was advised to enjoy this opportunity to freely roam without getting caught – it was a rare occurrence. Thus, when the skies turned dark and the amount of sins committed were at their highest, he begrudgingly agreed to head into town with the rest of the Draugen's crew. A few members such as Feliciano, Ludwig, and the two young boys too innocent to indulge in such things remained on the ship and stood guard over it.

The pirates didn't even bother to change their appearance as they entered the town, proudly proclaiming themselves to anyone who questioned who and what they were. The group began to separate and some flocked to bars, taverns, or brothels. Berwald shuddered at the last location and remembered why he didn't want to go in the first place.

The captain, his brothers, the Reaper, and a handful of other crewmates all entered a bar with a sleazy name to it. Not wanting to get left behind, Berwald followed the crowd and was immediately greeted with raucous laughter and cigar smoke. He took a seat as far away from everyone else as possible in the corner, ordering a simple mug of beer and watching the drunken behavior of the patrons around him distastefully.

The North Sea King made sure to make himself known upon entering the bar, garnering many of the patrons' attention and suggestive glances from some of the females there. He was also quick to begin making his acquaintance with the ladies and soon had one on his lap.

Lukas and Emil were much more refined, simply striking conversation with the servers and barmaids there.

 **Crash!**

"What d'ya say, bastard?!"

The bar fell into a hush at the sound of a woman's scream and a table being flipped over, the glass mugs shattering as a result.

All eyes including Berwald's turned towards the source of the ruckus – the Reaper and a mad mugger standing off against each other.

"I'm asking you to please leave this woman alone, sir. She doesn't appreciate you touching her like that," the rifleman said from behind his mask.

"Piss off! I know she wants it!"

"No, she doesn't."

The mugger, already caught under the alcohol's spell, was quick to start a fight. "Well once I beat yer ugly face in, maybe then she'll want it!" He lunged towards the Finn.

The victimized woman, a young barmaid with brown hair flowing down to her shoulders, screamed again as the drunkard charged towards her and the skull-faced man in front of her.

But before the attacker got any closer to the woman, the Reaper flitted around his opponent and brought the mugger's face down into the floorboards of the bar with a hand in one swift motion. He didn't even give the guy a chance to strike and it all ended so quickly. When he lifted the scraggly man back up, he was unconscious, bleeding from his forehead and nose broken from the impact. The Finn finished the job by grabbing him by the torn collar and tossing him out of the bar. Once that was done and he returned, he stooped down next to the barmaid and helped her clean the broken glass off the floor.

The brunette, although initially timid of the Finn and his mask, soon became very grateful for the other's chivalrous act.

Even though Berwald was too far away to hear everything, he could make out a general idea of what the two were discussing. Such was the Reaper's kind nature, he asked the barmaid if she was all right and if she needed further assistance.

"There ya go again, Reaper! Rescuin' the damsel in distress!" Mathias joked.

The Reaper shook his head humbly. "No, I was just trying to help…"

"Anyway, where was I in my epic tale?" The North Sea King's grip around the dame on his lap tightened as he continued "Ah that's right! So there I was, surrounded on all sides and all my family members dead in that burning building – I was the only survivor!"

The blond woman sitting on the Dane's lap gasped. "Dear me!"

"Could ya believe it? But here's the kicker – the ones who attacked us were once our dearest friends!" Mathias roared in his drunken stupor, his expression dark. "Those bastards turned on us! But I made sure to kill every last one of them with my bare hands!"

"Oh my, you're so strong!"

Lukas didn't miss the chance to put down his brother and commented dryly "You're over exaggerating, Mathias."

But the elder brother waved at him dismissively. "Yer one to talk, Lukas! Ya weren't there when it all happened!"

"Well, you certainly wouldn't be here without me and our younger brother."

"I don't know these two old guys," Emil disclaimed.

The captain of the Draugen went on to brag about their royal background.

The horrid night continued to drag on agonizingly slowly for Berwald. Everyone soon returned to their own business and loud conversations. But it soon became more and more apparent as the night wore on that the brunette barmaid was smitten by her rescuer.

Berwald did not know why, but he kept his cyan eyes on her. He caught the way she would linger near the Reaper's side when serving him his ale and glance back at him whenever she had the chance. When there was no one else to serve, the barmaid took the empty seat next to him and kept him company. The Swede didn't know how long or how many pitchers of ale it took before she became bolder with her actions.

She was sitting on the Reaper's lap now.

And he let her.

Furthermore, his arm looped around her waist in order to prevent her from falling off. Not that Berwald thought that was going to be a problem – she had wrapped an arm around his shoulder, the other hand playing with the material of his beige undershirt and scarf.

She leaned up to whisper something into his ear and he said something in return, making her giggle.

The scene made Berwald scowl deeper than he usually did. But he couldn't look away. In fact, as subtly as his large frame allowed him, the tall blond meandered from one table to the next until he was close enough to see and hear the couple clearly among all the commotion around him. Some of the other drinkers tried to approach him for a good time in the process, but one look sent them searching elsewhere.

"Would it be possible to see the real face of my hero again?" the barmaid asked of the Reaper. Much to the woman's displeasure, the Finn had placed the mask back on his face once he had finished drinking.

He paused before nodding.

The woman's fingers played with his platinum blond hair before peeling the intimidating mask off. She sighed dreamily as she said "That drunkard was dead wrong – you have such a beautiful face," Her hand immediately went up to caress her savior's cheek. "And such mesmerizing eyes…you should leave the mask off more often!"

"Thank you," the Reaper whispered, leaning into her touch and smiling softly at her.

Berwald thought that look was only given to him from the man. His hand unconsciously clutched the mug tightly. It was getting hard to breathe.

"You know, I've never had a gentleman come in and save me like that before,"

"I'm sorry to hear that,"

The brunette rested her head on his shoulder at this point. "Don't be silly! There's nothing for you to be sorry for. I'm glad to know there are still some chivalrous knights left in this town," She peered into those violet eyes seductively then.

For some unknown reason the look made Berwald's stomach churn.

"After tonight's incident, I don't feel safe around here anymore," her hand slid down his chest. "Do you think you can escort me back to my home? I'll feel more at ease knowing you're there to protect me," Her voice was but a whisper and Berwald really had to strain his ears to hear the next part. "In fact, I think I'll feel completely safe if my knight stays with me until dawn,"

Berwald waited with bated breath for the pirate's answer.

"If that is what will make you feel better," he answered innocently enough.

A bit unsatisfied with the reply, she pulled the Finn down until their faces were mere inches apart.

The rifleman did not resist.

The barmaid giggled in a coy manner and said playfully in order to make sure the other understood her invitation "Your friends call you 'The Reaper,' correct?" Her nimble fingers went up to stroke his cheek once more, her breath ghosting over his lips. "But tell me, can you 'sow' as well as 'reap'?"

"Hmm,"

 _No…_

Berwald's heart wrenched painfully inside his chest and he felt sick the moment he saw the Reaper lean down to kiss the woman on his lap.

 _I gotta get outta here!_

It was too much and he could no longer stand watching them.

The alcohol and sinking feeling caused him to knock over his chair when he abruptly stood up from it. He said nothing as he stormed through the wooden bar stools and tables before ultimately making it outside to the crisp evening breeze. The patrons who bumped into him on the way out didn't dare voice their agitation when they saw his scowl. But even when he was out of the smoke-filled bar, Berwald still couldn't breathe. Mathias' and everyone else's voice turned into nothing but white noise and he could only hear the blood rushing in his ears.

His hand subconsciously went up to clutch at the material of his black undershirt near his chest. His heart kept getting tighter until he felt like it was going to burst.

Some crewmates passed by him on their way out of the bar, but he didn't even give them the slightest thought. He didn't want to know where they were all heading for the night. Not a single one – not the captain, Lukas, or Emil.

And especially not the Reaper.

 _What's going on?! Why am I…?_

It was then, as he was dragging himself along the dark streets of this vile town back to the ship alone that Berwald had no choice but to be honest with himself – he was jealous, he was in love.

He was in love with the Reaper.

Deep down he always knew he was still a pitiful, hopeless romantic despite everything he's been through. No matter what his miserable life has taught him time and time again, he still clung to his silly ideals.

He just didn't know how hard and how fast he would fall in love. But now of all people to fall in love with, Berwald fell for the Reaper.

A pirate.

A killer.

The one who saved him and introduced him to this current life.

The one who showed him compassion and kindness.

The same one who could easily tear his heart out literally and figuratively.


	16. Magnolia

**Song Title: Magnolia** by **Suilen**

* * *

Berwald's head hurt the next morning, but not as much as his heart.

He felt betrayed by the other for what he did. But at the same time, it wasn't as though the Reaper was his to begin with…even though the Reaper could call him his if he wanted.

The Finn had no idea how he felt.

Hell, the Swede himself didn't know how he felt until recently…so he had no right to be spiteful after all the other has done for him.

Reasoning did nothing to stave off the bitter feeling and hurt.

 _Why didn't I sit next to him when I had the chance?!_

Why didn't he go up to the other and kept him company in the bar? They were friends, weren't they? There was nothing he should be so apprehensive about…yet why did he hesitate? There was something about approaching the Reaper by himself without a reason or instruction given to him by another that made him nervous. But it was too late for regrets now…he didn't even know if his presence could have prevented what he witnessed last night.

Majority of the Draugen's crew did not return that morning - only a handful who slumped and staggered or were outright passed out in the hallways remained on the ship. The captain himself was missing and so were his first and second mates. This meant that there were no orders to carry out and everyone was left to do as they pleased, chores and duties be damned for a day. They could all use a break anyway after last night.

Berwald chose this opportunity to mope. And mope he did for the longest time in his sour cot, his mind running in circles and thoughts crossing various topics only to return to the very first one. His slight hangover didn't entirely vanish until in the afternoon when he then decided to get some fresh air and watch Peter and Erland pretend to sword fight. He needed to do something to distract himself, and so in a wicked twist of irony found himself doing his given chores anyway. But it was from doing these mindless tasks that the pressure in his head and heart ebbed away and allowed for a hint of optimism to enter him.

This was only temporary. Once they leave this wretched town, he wouldn't have to see that barmaid again and things would return to the way they were between him and the Reaper. It would be as if none of this ever happened and was all just a horrible fever dream. He tried to convince himself of this optimistic scenario as he stared out into the ocean away from the town.

 _If I was a woman, would I have had a better chance…?_

"Oh, there you are, Berwald."

Caught off guard in his fancying thoughts, the bespectacled blond whipped around too quickly for his recovering hangover and was awe-struck when he came face-to-face with the man who owned his heart. He was carrying a bundle in his arms.

Berwald's expression must have surprised the Finn because the man said to him softly "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"…"

When the taller male just continued to stare at him intensely, he asked "Did something happen? I saw you run out of the bar last night and I was afraid something might have happened to you,"

The Reaper still cared for him. He was concerned about him. The thought made Berwald smile inwardly, but at the same time the Finn's presence made him feel uneasy. He still didn't know what he was to the rifleman. He was still hurt. "I'm fine," he lied through his teeth, his lips a thin line after saying it.

The platinum blond didn't look convinced, but didn't press any further. "Does your head hurt? Here, this should help," He reached into the bundle and pulled out a small packet of medicine and gave it to Berwald.

Now that the rifleman was closer, Berwald could see that the Reaper's eyes were duller than usual and his hair a bit tousled. His black long coat hung over his shoulders and swayed in the afternoon breeze. The taller blond nearly scrunched up his nose when he picked up a foreign scent on the Reaper. But it was something he was very familiar with back at the brothel…

Berwald was sure this was the woman's scent.

It tainted the usual blood and gunpowder smell that he associated the Reaper with.

Berwald's hand tightened around the medicine once he received it from the other. A great internal conflict was warring inside him. The bitter feeling rose in his chest again, suffocating him. It told him to get angry – how dare the other man appeared before him after what he did back at the bar! The audacity of the Reaper to show his face and make it as though nothing happened between them should make his blood boil!

 _But nothing really did happen between us…_

Another side of Berwald told him that his spite was misplaced. It wasn't fair to begin lashing out at the Finn when all he was doing was helping him like he always did. He was worried enough about the bespectacled man that he went out to check and look for him. Whatever else he did and whoever else the rifleman had for company was none of Berwald's business. Besides, the former brothel worker himself committed more of the debauched act in his past than he would like to acknowledge. He wasn't exactly innocent either. The Reaper knew nothing of what he was keeping to himself. Berwald could only blame himself for feeling this way and his silly notions.

"…"

"I need to hand these off to Ludwig now," The Reaper's voice brought the blond's inner quarrel to a standstill. The black long coat with the tattered ends flowed behind him as he turned away from the Swede and said "It's okay to take it easy – the captain said we'll be here for a while."

Berwald bemoaned inwardly.

* * *

Berwald chose to stay on the ship the next day and the day after that. He had learned from his mistake. He kept himself busy by doing his usual tasks and then some to cover for the crewmates who remained absent from the ship. These last couple of days were actually becoming the most productive for the Swede. When Ludwig was available, he continued with his lessons on medicine and basic first aid. He even learned a thing or two helping Feliciano prepare the meals. With fewer mouths to feed, the Italian had the luxury to be a bit more creative and detailed with his dishes. Lovino did not seem to approve of this, but all the same left his brother to do as he pleased with their fresh supply of food.

But throughout it all, no matter how busy he kept himself, the Reaper was never too far from his mind.

He couldn't stay angry or bitter at the Finn.

Whatever lingering thoughts and feelings of that night were consciously pushed aside, and instead Berwald chose to focus on enjoying as much of the other's company as possible. Hopefully by filling the void with more pleasant experiences, he could wipe the thought of the barmaid from both their minds.

The Reaper continued to go into town from time to time, but they were usually short trips and he was normally back before sundown, much to Berwald's relief.

Berwald honestly didn't know if his heart could take it a second time…He could only implore the other in his head not to do it again.

He had to take action.

So it was one day that Berwald finally got the courage to ask the Reaper to continue giving him rifle lessons. It was the perfect premise to spend time with the other. With rifle in hand, the tall blond traveled through the grand hall and approached the room of the man in question.

The door to the Reaper's room was left wide open, revealing the rifleman sitting on his bed reading a book.

Berwald vaguely recognized the title of the novel as a work of horror.

The Finn sensed the tall figure lingering near his doorway and looked up from his book to greet him. He cocked a thin eyebrow when he heard Berwald's request for more rifle practice. "I've taught you the basics, and I know you're more than capable of taking care of yourself. Are you sure you still need me around?"

"Yes." The answer was immediate.

The Reaper relented quickly and gave up on his reading, placing the novel back on the bookshelf, grabbing his pistols and a rifle of his own in the corner of the room. "If it makes you feel better, then okay," he smiled sadly.

Berwald tried not to flinch from those words – the other had said something similar to the barmaid. He was not over it…far from it.

The two made their way once again to a place far away from the town to practice. They walked side by side each other with the needed equipment in hand, using a route close to the shoreline to reach their destination.

The ocean's waters around here were a putrid brown and churned onto the shore like bile.

Berwald was starting to hate this town more and more with each passing day...it has nearly been a week now.

When they made it to a clearing among the woods on the outskirts of town, it wasn't long before shooting practice went under way.

The Reaper had his back turned to Berwald while he fired the rifle, not wanting to pressure the Swede like last time.

Berwald was not amused. Was it just him, or were the targets placed farther away than usual? Wanting to overachieve, he was aiming for the empty bottles in the far back; but a couple of missed bullets in and he was considering lowering his standards. It was while he was reloading the rifle that Berwald threw a furtive glance at the Finn. His frustration over empty bottles suddenly seemed trivial compared to what he saw.

Although the platinum blond was turned away from him, he was at an angle so that Berwald could still see his expression. Those slender fingers reached into one of the pockets of the tattered black long coat, pulling out the wooden figurine of Hanatamago that he had made for him. The Reaper was staring at the gift fondly, turning it over in his hand, running a finger over the fine details and texture of the small dog. His smile was soft and sad.

The scene made Berwald smile as well. It made his heart swell with pride knowing that the other kept his present on his person like that. He remembered that he meant something to the platinum blond; so much so that the man would give up his life for him even though he never wanted that. He had the barmaid beat there. Not wanting to look suspicious, the Swede focused again on his targets instead of the person behind him. He kept missing his shots, but that didn't matter all too much anymore.

On one particular round, however, things were different. It started off normally enough with Berwald concentrating, leveling his breathing as best he could around the other and firing.

The shot sounded louder than usual.

 **Crack!**

He couldn't believe it!

The dang bottle in the back finally shattered in front of his eyes into glimmering pieces of glass on the ground.

 _Wait…something isn't right_

"Oh, did you get it, Berwald?"

The aforementioned man turned to the Reaper, who swiftly put his rifle that sat on his shoulder back down to his side before turning around to face him. The platinum blond wasn't quick enough, however.

Things were beginning to click and Berwald pouted, but only just a bit. It humored more than disappointed him to be honest. It really was too good to be true – they both fired their rifles at the same time on the same target, but it was the Reaper's bullet that went through the bottle for him. Berwald's shot strayed and landed very close to the edge of the crate the target was sitting on upon closer examination. The rifleman shot that round backwards, using only a small mirror in his hand to guide his aim. The Finn never ceased to amaze him with his marksmanship.

"Show-off," Berwald joked, feeling comfortable enough around the other male now to talk to him casually.

The Reaper seemed to catch on to the Swede's playfulness and continued to act innocent, even though his smile was much more impish. "What are you talking about, Berwald? That was a magnificent shot, well done!"

"Yeah…sure…" he drawled, giving the other a small smile. He didn't know when this playfulness all came about between them, but it was much welcomed and exactly what Berwald needed.

"I'm serious! Don't feel discouraged, Berwald. I believe in you," the platinum blond smiled, his voice gentle. "You also don't have to try so hard – relaxing once in a while is good too."

The taller blond decided to take the other up on his offer and seated himself on one of the empty crates. He was wiping his glasses with the hem of his black undershirt while stealing glances at the man standing a few feet away from him.

They made light conversation on various topics spanning from the weather, the rifle training, to Peter and Erland's well-being.

"Do you know what kind of candy Erland likes? I haven't been able to quite figure it out yet," the Reaper asked. He held the mirror out once more and was switching his gaze between it and Berwald.

 _Does he care about his looks that much? You're wonderful just the way you are…_

"Mm, not too sure. He's picky,"

The Reaper smiled, but kept his violet eyes on the mirror this time. His voice got a bit lower as he said "Do you think he'll like salmiakki?" The nose of the rifle was pointing in the opposite direction the Finn was facing and over his shoulder again.

The action was starting to baffle Berwald. But before he could question it the rifleman was in front of him, leaning down towards his face from where he was sitting and whispering into his ear.

"Don't be startled, Berwald, but we got company. I think about ten of them,"

"...!"

 _What?_

"It'll be all right."

 **Bang!**

The Reaper pulled the trigger on his rifle and shot into the tree line surrounding their little practice area.

A thud was heard in the bushes.

"..."

 _Did he hit an animal?_

Then all hell broke loose.

"The bastard saw us!"

Rustling and movement were obvious now along the edge of the clearing and getting closer to them.

The next thing Berwald was able to register was being picked up and hauled behind a tree by the Reaper. He may have been larger than the Finn, but the man was easily dragging him along as if he was a rag doll.

 **Bang!**

Heavy thunks shattered the peace as bullets flew and hit the trunk of the thick tree they were hiding behind.

He didn't know how he ended up like this, but Berwald felt a warm chest pressed close against his back. He looked down for a moment and saw that he was nestled between the Reaper's legs, the other's arms around his shoulders after pulling him off the crate and held in this position tightly...almost affectionately.

"Are you hurt? Did you get hit?" the rifleman's voice was soft and warm against his ear. The Reaper leaned against the side of the trunk, peeking around it once in a while to watch their assailants. He held onto the taller man in order to make themselves smaller targets behind the tree.

Berwald felt his cheeks heat up from the contact.

 _We're too close!_

He only managed to shake his head, trying to crane his neck upward in order to peer into the other's face.

But the moment the last of the gunfire sounded off, the Reaper went out to meet the bandits, leaving the taller man behind.

The Swede could hear sounds of a struggle and screams emitting from the other side of the tree and instinctively got up to assist his companion. But by that time the fight had moved onward, the Reaper drawing their fire and attention towards himself and away from the area Berwald was in.

The platinum blond was fighting them with his flintlock pistols first before using his bare hands against their daggers and blades when he had fired all six rounds. And while Berwald watched the fight proceed, the male was able to disarm a bandit and use his shiv against him and the rest of his gang. His attacks were efficient and quick, and he looked like he had it under control.

Cyan eyes widened when Berwald saw someone creeping up from behind the Finn within the bushes.

 _Look out!_

He didn't know what he was doing until he heard the sound of the rifle in his black gloved hands go off.

 **Bang!**

The distant figure fell back and never rose from the thicket of the bushes again.

Berwald couldn't believe his eyes!

 _That was utterly reckless!_

He could've shot the Reaper by accident if anything!

…But he didn't…

He had no choice - they were far away and all he had was the rifle in his hands. The whole incident sent his mind reeling and threw at him all sorts of emotions – joy, anxiety, relief, and shock.

The Reaper took this moment of confusion among the fight to finish off the last of the bandits. When he got back to Berwald standing stock-still near the tree, he gave his student the proudest of smiles. "That was incredible, Berwald!"

"T-Thanks…" he had to avert his eyes from that porcelain face. His own face was warm, but so was his heart. He had helped the Reaper – this was the proudest thing he's ever done. "Thanks fer believin' in me…for not giving up on me,"

"What? I should be thanking you; you saved me back there!" The rifleman peered around the small clearing around them and the mess it has become. "That's enough practice for today, don't you think?"

"Mmh…"

As they made their way back to the ship, the brown sea to their left didn't seem as ugly as before in Berwald's eyes. His steps were lighter in the dark sand as he walked alongside the Reaper, their shoulders inches apart.

"I hope you won't hold it against me for what I did back there," the Reaper spoke up, offering Berwald an apologetic smile. "There wasn't a lot of time to come up with a better plan by the time I saw those bandits in the mirror,"

 _So that's why he kept looking at it_

This explained the Reaper's odd behavior – he was watching over them the whole time. He knew the town and its surrounding area was a dangerous place to begin with and so took extra precaution.

"It's okay, I don't mind," Berwald was far from opposing the man's decision to drag him behind a tree and embrace him so tightly like that. In fact, he wished it happened more often…

The Reaper sighed contently. "You amaze me, you know that, Berwald? That shot went right past me and into that man's skull! I knew you had it in you,"

 _It's because you were in danger_

"You're the amazing one," His thoughts left his lips without permission and Berwald found himself under the Finn's violet gaze. "Uh…you can dodge bullets and fire them too," he added feebly, his brain short-circuiting from embarrassment. The other chuckled lightly at this and the sound made the Swede's heart flutter. His emotions were getting to him again.

"Oh it's nothing, really. It's not that I'm so fast that I can outrun the bullets per se. Judging by the opponent's eye and hand movement, I try to predict where they're aiming and when they'll pull the trigger before they actually fire and move accordingly…it's a guessing game really,"

"Well, ya guess right all the time," With or without an explanation, Berwald still found the Reaper to be astounding.

The rifleman remained quiet, taking the compliment with a grateful smile. "I'm sorry, but after today's events, perhaps it'd be best if I kept an eye on you during practice for just a bit longer."

Berwald couldn't prevent a smile from crossing his face. He didn't care if it was just a platonic offer from one pirate crewmate to another; it was still a kind gesture from the man he loved. "Mhn, I'd like that."


	17. Love U Betta

**Song Title: Love U Betta** by **Neon Hitch**

* * *

The Draugen finally left the port of that wretched town later than Berwald would have liked. Mathias seemed to have renewed vigor and ambition after leaving, for he quickly set a new course for the ship and they were off to their next destination in a few short weeks. Apparently, it was another town on the opposite coast of where they were at. A couple of naval battles with fellow pirates and officials later, they anchored in the highly militarized town. The denizens here had zero tolerance for criminals – they were the exact opposite of the previous place who welcomed them openly. But apparently, this was where the blond captain wanted them to be. The crew was given their orders to resupply and move about as discreetly as possible. The Reaper was also given a task of his own and he set out before Berwald was awake to see him go.

It has been a couple of days now since they've landed and the Swede was growing anxious. This town was hostile towards anyone breaking the law – especially bounties. Majority of the crew had to stay put on the ship, including the Lion of the North. But by the third afternoon, nearly everything looked ready for them to depart and everyone returned on board except…

"Uncle Matt! Uncle Matt!" Peter dashed onto the deck seeking the blond captain. His voice was shrill, face red and puffy from having run so fast. Tears were brimming from his big blue eyes.

"Huh, what's wrong, Peter?" Mathias looked down at the skittish boy when he found him. The lad was grabbing onto the legs of his brown trousers tightly in his fists.

Peter looked up at his role model desperately as he cried "ReeRee's been caught!"

"What?"

Berwald's blood ran cold.

The young pirate could no longer control his tears and they flowed freely down his face. "They're gonna hang him tomorrow!"

 _No! Oh dear gods…_

Berwald's heart stopped beating for a second and dropped to his stomach, the blood drained from his face at the news. His limbs grew numb and his lungs couldn't get enough air. He feared this day would come, when the arms of the law had the platinum blond in its clutches after slipping through them so many times before. It always filled him with apprehension when he saw the other leave, but now that it was actually happening and he wasn't coming back, here he was standing on the spot and silently panicking. He wanted to cry like Peter.

Although initially shocked, the North Sea King quickly regained his composure and bent down to the crying boy's height. "There, there, Peter. Everything's gonna be all right," He patted the boy on the head soothingly, reassuringly. "Ya said tomorrow, right?"

Peter hiccupped, wiping his face with the blue necktie around him before nodding. "Yeah, in the afternoon in front of the public square…you gotta do something, Uncle Matt!"

Mathias gave the boy a confident smile and picked him up onto his shoulder. "Don't cha worry about a thing, Peter! The afternoon is perfect – we got just enough time."

Lukas and Emil appeared by the two blonds' side then, hearing the news from their respective locations on the ship.

"We need to move quickly, but carefully. Get the Draugen away from this port and anchor her in a more secluded part of town," Lukas advised, turning to his older brother. His expression was placid as usual, as if this has happened before. And by the looks of the other brothers, this situation wasn't as shocking to them as it was to Berwald. "The whole town knows that the Reaper is here now, which means that we can't be too obvious and stay here or else the rest of us would risk getting captured as well. They'll be searching the port,"

This didn't sit well with the Swede at all. He wanted to barge into the town right this moment and find the rifleman! But because he was also wanted, even in his state of distraught he knew better and so had no choice but to remain here fretting.

"Should we send out the usual crew then?" Emil asked. He twiddled the earring on his side idly.

"Yes."

"All right," Mathias looked around to his men and issued his order. "Let's go with the usual plan. Y'all know who ya are – you will be heading out as soon as the sun sets, understood?"

"Aye aye, captain!"

"I hope ReeRee's okay…" Peter pouted, rubbing at his red eyes. He had stopped crying and was just sulking now.

Mathias held the boy tighter on his shoulder. "Cheer up, Peter! You'll see ReeRee again by sunrise tomorrow, I promise!"

The boy perked up at the captain's promise, vowing not to sleep until he saw his other role model again.

When the sun sank below dark waters that night, Berwald was surprised to see Feliciano and Ludwig among the group that was dispatched on this mission.

The chef felt the Swede's gaze on him and bounded over to the worried man. "We're going to do our best to bring ReeRee back! Just you wait, Ber!"

"We owe the Reaper at least this much for all that he's done for us," Ludwig added. "You can count on us."

"…Be careful." He prayed they would be safe and successful.

 _Please come back…_

* * *

Like Peter, Berwald did not get a wink of sleep as the hours went by and the crew sent out to help the Finn came back near dawn without the man in question with them.

Berwald was told that it was taken care of and that all they had to do now was wait.

The ploy was already set in motion. Apparently, the group's return was enough to calm the rest of the crew and many of them retired to the sleeping quarters when the next day began.

Peter, who could no longer stay awake, went to bed in the afternoon of the supposed execution.

For all Berwald knew, the Reaper could have been hung already! His nerves frayed, he had tried to do his regular chores on the ship that day but simply couldn't concentrate and instead, when the captain wasn't looking, slipped into his cot early. He was restless, however, keeping his eyes and ears open for any news or indication from the other crewmates that the rifleman has returned.

Nothing reached him from sunup to sundown about the execution.

So here he was, while everyone else had turned in for the evening, he was pacing on the deck of the Draugen like a watchdog and keeping vigilant for any signs of the Reaper's return. He stared out at the town before him from their remote location, cursing it for having taken the Reaper away. When the hours passed and he faced the other way to look out at the moonlit ocean for a moment to settle his nerves, the glimmering calm waters below mocked him. It splashed and bubbled against the hull of the ship carefreely. It knew nothing of the blond's struggles.

He was full of regret. He wanted to at least see the other off before he knew he would never see him again...

"…"

"…!" Berwald felt it more than he heard it and whirled around. The constant swaying motion of the ship stilled and his breath got caught in his throat.

In the full moon's light, he saw a man with a white skull mask and dark clothes on the deck.

Without even thinking Berwald closed the distance between them and hugged the Reaper tightly. The Finn's body was warm from exertion, the scent of fresh blood, gunpowder, and smoke clinging to him, but he didn't care. He held onto the other, closing his eyes and burying his face into that beige scarf and taking in as much of the calming scent and presence as possible. He had to be sure this was all real and not some figment of his imagination caused by his lack of sleep.

"Berwald?"

 _What happened?! I was worried half to death! You need to be more careful! I missed you…I love you…_

The taller blond wanted to say all of these things and more, but all that came out was a strangled grunt into the man's neck. He was choking on his own emotions.

Berwald's action stunned the Reaper, who had just boarded and expected everyone to be sleeping by now. "Haha, I'm back. There's no need to worry - death never takes me after all," he joked. It seemed to only make the bespectacled man feel worse, the arms around his shoulders tightening and refusing to let go. This concerned him. "Berwald, what's wrong? Is something the matter?" He took off his mask to get a better look at the male, but all he saw on his left was a mass of blond hair.

Berwald couldn't manage to say anything still, shaking his head numbly while keeping the Finn there on the spot. He was holding back tears now at the thought of how close the Reaper came to dying. Behind his eyelids, he could feel the other's body heat, reminding him that he was still alive in his arms and this realization flooded him with relief. At this point he didn't care if his actions may have frightened the other, or that the platinum blond loved another, or anything for that matter. He was just glad he was safe.

Although the Reaper didn't understand Berwald's sudden behavior, he didn't push him away. Instead, he let the Swede hold him for as long as he needed, an arm reaching up around the taller man's waist to rub his back soothingly.

The two silently stayed like this for some time on the deck with the moon the only witness to their reunion.

 _I still need to report to the captain and the others, but it can wait…_ the Reaper thought.

The rifleman leaned slightly into the taller man's embrace, resting his head on the other's shoulder and closing his eyes. He felt Berwald shudder slightly, but his hold was ever warm, caring, and soft. This was not how he was usually welcomed on board after a mission…it felt…nice. The Reaper smiled, hands continuing to rub the other's back in soothing strokes.

 _They can definitely wait…_

* * *

"I ain't lettin' ya outta my sight, ReeRee!" Peter declared, sitting on top of the Reaper's shoulder and keeping watch like a sentinel.

"Okay, okay," The Finn easily relented as he was welcomed by the rest of the crew on the deck. "Thank you for always watching over me, Peter,"

It was later on when the young pirate got hungry and distracted by his friend, Erland, that Peter finally dismounted from the rifleman's shoulder, but not without making sure his role model was never too far on the ship.

It was during this time when they set sail from that death trap of a town that Berwald insisted that he should accompany the Reaper on his missions. To his dismay, the other declined, saying that due to an accident that occurred when he took Peter out with him once, he would not risk putting Berwald's life in danger as well. It was the last thing the Finn wanted.

The return of the Reaper, along with the bounty he brought back from that town gave the captain enough reason to call for a celebration.

"Take us to the Siren's Saloon, Nyk!"

Apparently, this famous bar was located in a town not far from where they were located. It bragged to have the best liquor and barmaids across the seven seas, and was a hotspot for pirates.

It brought Berwald great dread. It was too soon to have his heart shattered again.

Why did he keep doing this to himself? Didn't he learn from last time? Was one time not enough? Was he some sort of masochist?

Yes…Berwald wanted to be close to the Reaper even though it hurts.

So it was when they finally found the town at nearly sundown and docked, the crew got right to making themselves comfortable and flocked to the infamous bar. Berwald went along solemnly with his crewmates into the lively and sinful place. He again stationed himself in a far back corner, defeated when he didn't make it in time to take a seat next to the Reaper.

The place was sprawling with other pirates, and members of the Draugen's crew were quickly recognized. The barmaids serviced them well, knowing of their reputation from miles away.

When one approached the Swede and realized who he was, her fascination increased immensely, batting her eyelashes and serving him drinks as quickly as he could finish them. And finish them he did in record time. Berwald drank so much he could hardly control himself. He shouldn't be squandering his savings like this, but he couldn't help it at this point. Not when the man who held his heart was sitting at a table with a barmaid on each of his side. They were quick to pull off his mask and make his acquaintance, offering him glass after glass of their finest rum.

It really was good liquor they were serving, but it wasn't enough yet.

Berwald glared dissatisfyingly at Mathias as he laughed boisterously on the same table as the rifleman and his two siblings. Again the blond captain was quick to flirt and had a dame on his lap.

"Yeap, spliced 'im in half I did with one swing! It was a quick death, I assure ya!" the North Sea King bragged jovially. He then turned to his rifleman and said "Aw but my Reaper here has been doin' what I'm doin' since he was ten! Ain't that right?"

The man in question was not as joyous about the achievement as his captain. "Not quite…"

"Ah no need ta hide it, mate!" Mathias leaned down and kissed the woman on his lap before he continued. "You split a guy's head like it was a watermelon back then! Those skulls hangin' in yer room belonged to those guys ya killed that day, ain't I right?"

This piqued the morbid curiosity of the barmaids next to the Reaper.

"You don't say?"

"I would love to visit and see these for myself,"

"Maybe you can show us something else while we're there?"

Berwald scowled, downing his glass of ale in one swig. The corners of his mind were becoming fuzzy, but it still wasn't enough and he ordered another pitcher. He hoped that the alcohol would help him forget what he was seeing, dull the pain in his heart and shun him to the thought that he and the Reaper would never be together…that his feelings were not returned.

The hours went by in the raucous bar, the Swede holding his head in one of his hands and the other constantly around a glass full of liquor. He vaguely remembered seeing some of the crew members filing out to sin elsewhere. Lukas went out with a well-dressed woman towards an opera house while Emil grew bored and sought new companions at another bar. He didn't know where the captain disappeared to. A few other patrons and barmaids scooted towards him, but they soon found that talking to an intimidating statue was not how they wanted to spend the evening, and so moved on to leave the man to pine in peace. Berwald kept staring at the Reaper from his corner of the bar, longing for his touch and those lips to kiss his as they were right now with the barmaid sitting to the man's right. Soon he had no choice but to shut his eyes to it all.

He fell. He fell so hard in love and was still falling.

 _It hurts…_

"Berwald?"

Vibrant violet eyes were looking at him with concern.

"Are you feeling all right? Maybe you've had a bit too much to drink…" The Reaper was standing next to him from where he was sitting in his chair.

Was that really his angel standing next to him? He couldn't really see straight even with his glasses at the moment. But that voice…oh, it was definitely him. He was so close, leaning down to his eye level.

"Ber-"

The Swede pulled the other man down by his beige scarf to fully to meet his face, stealing a kiss from those lips as he said "I will be once ya take me,"

The Finn said nothing as he slowly pulled away, surprised.

Just when Berwald thought he had destroyed whatever respect the other man held for him, a white gloved hand was offered to him.

"I might just take you up on that offer, let's go." The Reaper whispered into Berwald's ear.

He reached out to that hand without hesitation and let himself get helped off the chair and out of the noisy bar…taken away into the night.

 _Is…is he…?_

Berwald dared to hope against hope…it all felt so surreal. His heart fluttered as he held on and was led by the other.

As they stumbled back to the ship, the platinum blond had his mask on his face once again. He led the way, helping the taller man keep his balance. Berwald was pinching on the material of his long coat, holding onto his arm for dear life. The Finn continued to guide them past gypsies and ladies of the night loitering the streets of this town at night. The other man was wearing a very rare smile on his face, cyan eyes hazy but affectionate and mouth mumbling something he couldn't quite pick up in his own inebriated state.

By the time they were boarding the Draugen, all the way to the rifleman's room Berwald could no longer control himself and kissed behind the Reaper's ear and neck as they made their way to their destination. "Yer so beautiful…" he muttered over and over into the pale neck.

"…"

The door to the morbid room barely swung closed when Berwald gingerly peeled off the mask that hid the other's face and enchanting lips from him. Once that angelic face was revealed to him, he pulled the rifleman in for another kiss, too drunk to be shy. Their kiss started out slow and cautious, the Reaper not objecting to this display of affection. This only encouraged the Swede to coax the other into opening his mouth and their tongues slipped into each other's mouths, exchanging saliva and alcohol. "Mmh…" he moaned softly into the kiss, never getting enough of the Reaper's taste. His body was screaming for the Finn and he dropped to his knees to unbuckle the man's tan and black striped trousers, immediately taking his member into his mouth. He licked fervently, wanting to taste the Reaper down there too.

"Berwald…" He gasped, his back against the door as he peered at the taller blond on his knees in front of him.

The platinum blond's groans spurred him on to skillfully suck until the man was fully aroused. The bespectacled blond then felt a hand running through his hair, gently petting him and encouraging him to look up. Those magnificent purple eyes made him slow a little in his work.

"That's enough," The Reaper carefully brought his head back up until he was standing at his full height again. His voice was light and soft as he said "You need to feel good too, Berwald."

Those words and the genuine thoughtfulness behind them made the Swede moan. "Yer too kind," He let the other guide him onto the bed with the black comforter, and he more than willingly made himself comfortable on his back as the other hovered over him to begin stripping him of his clothes. The beige coat came off first, then his gloves and glasses. "I…I don't understand why yer so kind to me," Berwald started to babble his insecurities and fears as the Reaper took his time pulling the black undershirt over his head and undoing the sash around his waist. "I don't deserve it."

"You deserve every bit of it," The Finn gently pulled down on his dark purple trousers and removed it along with the sienna brown boot on each foot. He leaned down and kissed the inside of an ankle resting on his shoulder.

Berwald felt like royalty as he was pampered and carefully undressed. His bare body laid offered to the Reaper's violet gaze.

"Simply beautiful," The Finn uttered before he made himself comfortable between Berwald's legs that automatically opened for him, inviting him to come closer, to be closer.

"Ah!" Berwald's skin was set aflame by the slender fingers ghosting over his body. The other had removed his gloves, allowing him the luxury of feeling those digits directly skin to skin. It traveled down his chest, over his abs and naval, and massaged his inner thighs. His own hands reached out to his beloved, grabbing and touching wherever he was able. He felt the other's head dive into the crook of his neck.

The Reaper dug his nose into his partner's neck, breathing in his scent and commenting "You smell nice, Berwald…like pine," His hands continued their ministration and spread the other's legs a bit wider to do more, feeling them tremble under his touch. He then went up and kissed his ear lightly, eliciting a shudder from the blond.

Their lips met again when Berwald turned his head to face the other. "Do it," he encouraged, rutting against the Finn.

The Reaper obliged him and went over to his desk to grab a vial of oil and drenched his fingers with the substance.

Pretend.

It was something Berwald has done for all his life. His former employer would always tell him to pretend - pretend to like the customer, pretend that he enjoyed it, pretend that everything was okay...that this was normal. He pretended to be accepting of his fate and current lifestyle, the constant battles, violence, and blood.

But now, before the Reaper, he wasn't pretending anymore.

Everything in this moment was raw and earnest.

"Yes!" He mewled as the first digit entered him, carefully massaging his inner walls and finding that spot that made him see stars. The platinum blond took the time to make him feel good rather than seek his own self-gratification – something no one has ever done for him before. It was such an amazing feeling and Berwald loved the man more and more because of it.

Whether it was under the influence of alcohol or because of the high that came with doing something this intimate with the one he loved, his body was being honest and feeling everything so much more.

Two fingers were in him now, scissoring and eventually the Reaper crooked them, hitting the bundle of nerves that made Berwald arch. "Ah...ha!" He pushed his hips vigorously against those digits, trying to get them to go in deeper. "More..." he gasped out. He choked on a moan when he felt a hot tongue trailing down his body, over his nipples and near his naval. His hands clutched onto the black sheets beneath him for dear life.

The Finn, who has been quietly observing the other's reaction, leaned up and kissed the man on the lips, distracting him while he added a third finger. "You look so stunning right now, Berwald," he cooed. He eventually went back down on the Swede's body, pumping his fingers in and out of him at the same time lavishing him with licks and kisses on that sweat-soaked skin. The taller blond's cries of rapture were simply heavenly. It pleasantly surprised him to know that the usually quiet man was vocal when it came to these kinds of things.

 _Yes! He's touching me…kissing me!_

The Reaper was gentle, caring, and taking his time but Berwald was growing impatient. He desperately wanted the other inside him and made his desire known.

The platinum blond complied, pulling out his fingers and coming up to face the Swede when the other's hands pulled him up, forcing him to look into yearning cyan eyes.

"Yer name…What's your real name?" Berwald asked, holding that angelic face with both his hands, pulling him in so that they were only inches apart. He affectionately caressed those cheeks, stroking them with his thumbs. The other never properly introduced himself and there was never a right time to ask the man. It was the right time now.

A sad smile graced the Reaper's features as he said "Tino. Tino Vainamoinen."

"Tino…" The name sounded so sweet as it rolled off Berwald's tongue over and over again. He moaned wantonly when he felt hands on his hips and his lover aligning himself against his entrance.

"And I'll call you Berwald, right?"

"Oh yes!" The Swede loved how his name sounded when the other said it, especially now in that husky voice full of lust and those violet eyes peering at him hungrily. "Ngh...ah, Tino!" he wailed as the other pushed into him. He immediately hooked his long legs around the man's waist, throwing his arms around Tino's shoulders and pulling the Finn over him so that they were facing each other. As he was generously given time to adjust to the length buried deep inside him, Berwald confessed. "I love you, Tino!"

The man paused for a moment before pecking him on the lips, smiling sadly. "Of course you do, Berwald," was his reply before sending him down the road to euphoria.

He didn't have to pretend…it felt so good, so genuinely good. Tino was gentle and started out slow before setting a nice rhythm between their bodies.

"Yah...right there!" Berwald threw his head back when his prostate was hit, freely voicing his pleasure. The friction and feeling of Tino inside him was so delicious. Hands still around the man's shoulders, he clawed at the material of the black long coat. The bed creaked under them as Tino thrusted into him, his body rocking from the powerful force, but he could hardly hear it over the sound of his own moans. He was releasing sounds he didn't even know he was capable of producing under the other's ministration.

"You feel so good, Berwald."

The platinum blond's words filled the taller man with pride because he knew them to be true and meant for him…only him…

As Tino devoured him, in his mind Berwald implored that the other would only look at him like that with those amethyst eyes, that he would be his last and only. That if he needed to release his urges, he would come to him. He could love the man better than all the rest...and not because it was his profession before.

"Don't stop!" he begged as his prostate was abused. It felt so good. Tino was so much better than all the customers he had to put up with. Only the Finn could turn him into the whimpering, writhing mess that he was now - and he wouldn't have it any other way. "Yes, Tino, Tino, Tino!" He screamed the newly given name like a mantra. His alcohol and pleasure hazy mind couldn't remember much afterwards, but he only knew that it felt so good and he was giving it his all to the man he loved. The coil in his stomach was on the verge of being undone, and he unraveled the moment he felt the other come deeply inside him. Tino didn't even have to touch him down there in the front…With one final scream for his love, his arms fell away and his body became boneless. The last thing he saw after his orgasm was Tino's angelic face smiling over him. "I love you..." Berwald whispered before his vision went dark.

Tino heard those words of endearment before cyan eyes disappeared behind heavy eyelids.

Whether from the pleasure or alcohol, the Swede was fast asleep, his usually furrowed brows at peace and a smile on his lips.

Tino peered at the man for a moment longer, a hand coming up to caress that handsome face before slowly pulling out. He then draped himself over the unconscious man, going down to his collarbone and sucking on the skin there hard enough to leave a hickey and making his way up to firmly kiss the other's smiling lips one final time. Lastly, he leaned into the blond's ear and whispered softly into it "Remember what you're fighting for. Be free, Berwald."


	18. Killing Me Softly

**Song Title: Killing Me Softly** by **The Fugees**

* * *

It was warm and soft, the smell so familiar and welcoming…

Berwald woke up alone in a bed that wasn't his own.

Upon fluttering his eyes open, he was met with an intense beam of light that was the early morning sun streaming through the window of the dark room. A terrible hangover also greeted him upon waking and no recollection of what happened the night before to explain his current situation.

The alcohol did its job well.

Every small movement made his head spin, so there he laid unmoving under the black comforter. It took the Swede the longest time to realize he was sleeping in the Reaper's room, the smell of the bed and black walls with the tally marks finally becoming associated with someone in his disconnected mind.

 _What am I doing here?!_

Panic suddenly washed over him because he knew he didn't belong here, but his head flopped back onto the pillow the moment he tried to rise from the comforting bed. He was sore, his backside aching but his head was worse from the sudden movement. Slowly he raised a hand towards his neck and felt it throb when he ran his fingers over a certain spot. It was when he had his head down on the pillow that he caught the scent of last night – a smell he was all too familiar with that lingered on himself.

It all clicked then in Berwald's mind.

He had done something wrong. He had slept with someone.

However, when he gradually pulled the comforter off, the Swede found that he was already cleaned up and dressed in his clothes once more. He wasn't hurt too badly either…Berwald has suffered far worse from customers back in the day. It was strange, but his body still tingled with a bit of pleasure…he must have felt really good for that to happen. Whoever Berwald's one night lover was, he was considerate enough to clean him, dress him up, and pull the covers over him as he slept. However, the one thing he failed to do was stay until morning.

 _Who was it?_

He tried to remember, but couldn't imagine the face of his mysterious companion. It was all just a blur. An echo of a name was all that remained…

 _Was it Theo?…Timothy?_

Shouldn't he remember the name from how many times he screamed it last night based on his hoarse voice?

Did he go out and sought someone who looked like the Reaper to distract himself last night?

A chill suddenly ran down his spine at a realization and Berwald pulled the black comforter up to his nose again. But then he regretted doing that, because now he was engulfed in the Reaper's alluring scent.

He has cheated on the Reaper.

Berwald immediately felt immensely guilty and disgusted with himself. His previous profession came back to haunt him.

 _I can't be here_

But there the blond stayed on the bed…bewitched by the whole prospect that he was in the rifleman's bed in the first place. He just couldn't leave it.

 _But if I'm here, where is…?_

A soft rapping on the oak door jolted Berwald to sit up on the bed and greet the owner of the room.

"Good morning, Berwald," the Reaper smiled his sad smile at the Swede. "How are you feeling?" His voice was soft and quiet, being considerate of the other's throbbing hangover. In his hands was a tray holding a few items on it.

Berwald responded gruffly "Head hurts…what happened?" He was so caught up in his own dilemma that he didn't even bother asking the Finn what or who he did last night.

 _Why am I here? How?_

Perhaps the other could shed some light on this mystery.

This response seemed to clarify a few things for the platinum blond and he gave the man on his bed another sad smile. "You got really drunk last night and went out," he calmly but vaguely explained while setting down a glass of water and medicine for the other.

Berwald greedily drank the cool liquid and took the medicine on the tray. They weren't working fast enough for his liking.

So he really was just projecting the Reaper's face and appearance onto the stranger he slept with…in the rifleman's bed that smothered him with his scent…And now said man himself was taking care of him even though he has betrayed him.

Why did he pull the stranger into the Reaper's room of all places?! Was it to spite the man?

The toxic thoughts made Berwald's heart heavy with guilt. He didn't deserve to wake up to the smiling Finn…he didn't deserve any of it!

"You can stay here as long as you need to. You looked like you were enjoying yourself last night; that's good. It's not often enough that you do."

Berwald only shook his head for so many reasons. His body froze despite the warmth of the bed, his face paling and the air growing thin around him, only making his hangover worse. It was shame, regret, and guilt all manifested in this one scene. He felt so out of place here. The Reaper's voice called out to him.

"As you might have guessed, the captain and most of the crew are out, so why don't you relax for a while?"

Again Berwald shook his head, fighting so hard not to pull the cover over his large frame to hide his shame.

 _I'm so stupid!_

The platinum blond only smiled. "You're so hard-working. But I really do think you should rest," His eyes shifted to the spot on Berwald's collar where he knew he was hiding something.

The Reaper's gaze only unsettled the Swede more, whose stern face concealed distraught.

"I'm sorry," Berwald pushed himself off the black bed and quickened his steps out of the room with whatever shred of dignity he had left despite the pain that shot up his spine with each movement. He brushed past the rifleman, not daring to look back at that porcelain face. He didn't want the other man to hate and judge him, but it was too late for that now.

Even the Reaper had his limits when it came to his kindness. And Berwald was sure he crossed the line the moment he set foot in the rifleman's room without permission with another in tow to rut on his bed.

 _Oh gods…he's gonna kill me…but that wouldn't be so bad…_

He was so ashamed, and throughout the day, unlike the other time when he did his work without being told to do so in order to block out the Reaper's nightly activities, he was doing them now to block out his own. Was he really that desperate and needy?

 _The alcohol…the alcohol did this!_

Berwald swore never to drink so much again. He would never sleep with anyone ever again.

But was it really just because of the alcohol that pushed him towards such a sordid act?

His mind not completely there, the Swede avoided the other man at all costs and hid himself in his own cot when there was nothing else left to do and night has fallen. It was as though he has reverted back to his silent and stoic self. He planted his face into the pillow and inhaled its sour stench, distracting himself from the scent on himself and the scent of the Finn. The pillow was putrid and disgusting and exactly what trash like him deserved. Berwald eventually reached a hand underneath the cushion to make himself more comfortable, only to find a particularly large sum of coins there. The Reaper has never stopped giving him the money despite his protest, but this time it only added salt to the gaping wound in his heart. His days at the brothel were never far behind him no matter what he did or how many miles he sailed. The coins added more to his guilt than lessen the amount he had left to pay for his freedom.

* * *

The previous day was all a blur and slew of muddled emotions – emotions Berwald was still drowning in. He wanted to bury them along with the fact that he has lost the Reaper's respect for him and acknowledgement of his existence.

The man trusted, believed in, and encouraged him.

He paid him back by sleeping with a stranger in his room.

Yet the Swede was selfish – he knew it to be true that he still loved the man.

Berwald continued to trip on his guilt and self-loathing. It affected his work even after the Draugen's anchor was hoisted and the vessel set off once more into open ocean, miles away from the Siren's Saloon and the place that destroyed the Reaper's trust in him.

The rifleman once caught him listlessly scrubbing the same spot on the deck several times. But upon inquiry of his well-being, Berwald scurried off to the other side of the ship like the rat he was. The blond found himself losing sense of time and space out at sea. He became numb to the chaos around him and even the captain's advances. Berwald was more disgusted with himself than the Dane at this point.

He only vaguely remembered having been told to deliver the captain his dinner one night. As he dragged his boots across the oak floorboards with tray in hand, he didn't know what hit him until it was too late.

"Berwald, watch out!"

The tall man tripped over his own uncoordinated legs, lost his balance and fell forward onto the floor, releasing the tray of food and drink from his hands. But the imminent crash and clatter of silverware and dinner never came.

"I got it…hold on,"

A gust of motion was whirling above him and Berwald got up, only to bang his head on something solid above him.

A grunt was heard in front of him followed by the essential crashing of dishes and glass.

 _Oh dear gods!_

By the time he was on his feet again, the man in front of him wasn't.

Apparently when Berwald tripped over himself, the Reaper caught the tray for him and was standing too close. As a result, when the Swede rose to his full height, his head knocked the tray and its contents down all over again and onto the Reaper's clothes. The other's efforts to save the meal were all in vain.

Glass, silver, and food surrounded them – it was a complete mess.

The Reaper was looking up at him with violet eyes, still on the ground. "Are you al-"

"I'm so sorry!" Berwald got down on his knees and apologized profusely, trying to clean up what was left of Feliciano's culinary creation.

But then a noise escaped the Finn.

It started off slow, but the small giggle turned into a boisterous laugh as the rifleman looked down at himself. He then hoisted himself up, offering to help the other do the same. "There's no need to say sorry, Berwald. Haha, here, let me help you with this mess,"

Berwald did not accept the offer, however, and remained kneeled on the floor completely devastated. He felt simply horrible! He dared not meet the other's gaze, keeping his eyes glued to the oak boards covered in shattered glass. The laughter that bubbled up from the platinum blond quickened his heart and warmed his cheeks.

He has never heard a better sound before in his life.

But the sound that enchanted him also broke his heart. Berwald couldn't enjoy the beautiful sound of the Reaper's laughter at the moment. He didn't deserve this man's laughter, kindness, patience, and love if it was ever given to him. He was petty and disgusting like the whore he was that night and always will be. It was all too much..."I'm sorry…"

"Berwald?"

Silent tears fell down his face as he broke down in front of the Reaper.

 _Sorry...I'm so sorry! I'm a mess...I can't do anything right and I broke your trust in me! And now I spilled everything on you and...and...how can you still be smiling and laughing?_

"Oh my – what's wrong, Berwald?"

Before he knew it, the taller blond saw a dark figure crouch to his level and felt arms wrap around him. The action both tore him apart and warmed him.

The Reaper held the sobbing man in his arms, saying "I'm sorry, Berwald. I always did have a strange sense of humor…I didn't mean to offend you in any way,"

But the Swede apologized again and again for reasons he could not say. The Reaper's actions and words only broke him down further, leaving him crying into the man's chest as he continued to be held by him. He didn't care that some of the tray's spilled contents got on him as a result and soaked through his shirt. Berwald has been yelled at and abused before, and he never let it bother him. But the Reaper was doing neither...he wasn't even laughing at him, but himself! Yet, here he was bawling into the other's warm embrace, the soothing, light voice cooing him.

"There, there, it's okay," the Finn gently stroked Berwald's back comfortingly. Eventually he helped the taller man up by carrying him bridal style in his arms.

The blond allowed himself to be led into the rifleman's room that was up ahead in the hallway, subconsciously surprised by the other's strength to lift and carry him. He was then set on the bed while the Reaper went out to clean the accident and himself. Berwald took off his glasses, now smeared with his tears, and numbly wiped them clean with the edge of his black undershirt. Now that he had time to calm himself, he took deep breaths to stop the small hiccups that erupted from his throat once in a while because of the sobbing. The miserable man continued to wrestle with his thoughts and feelings in the quiet room.

A bit of time passed before the Reaper tentatively returned, asking the man sitting up on his bed "What's wrong, Berwald? Did something happen? Did the captain make you do something against your will?"

The addressed blond simply shook his head, keeping mute, his voice failing him and throat closing up as to not utter a word.

The Reaper didn't pry any further and just sat next to the Swede on the bed, doing his best to comfort the distressed man and wipe away the mess on his clothes the other didn't bother to clean.

His soft words felt like knives piercing the guilty man's heart.

After some time, the rifleman offered "Why don't you take it easy now? You can sleep here if you want for the night; no one will bother you."

Should he?

This was the same bed he laid in with another...but it was also a source of great comfort, soft and inviting.

"It's okay, I have to keep watch on the deck tonight." He gave the other a reassuring smile.

Berwald finally gave in. He was too tired to fight back and deny such a generous offer, his cheeks still wet and eyes puffy and red. He set aside his glasses and laid his heavy head down on the soft pillow as he peered at the Reaper's retreating back.

 _Thank you...I love you_

Emotionally and mentally drained, the Reaper's scent on the bed quickly lulled him to a restless sleep; but it was still the best sleep he had in years.

* * *

At midnight, the Reaper thought it was a good time to check up on Berwald.

The other has been acting strangely since they left the Siren's Saloon...

When he arrived in his room again, he was glad to find the man still in his bed and fast asleep. He came over to the still figure and bent down to kiss Berwald's eyelids, rubbing his arm up and down over the blanket in an attempt to unfurrow those brows.

The poor man looked like he was having a nightmare.

He has tried to ask on multiple occasions what was the matter, but the other never told him. The Finn didn't know what has gotten into the taller blond, but he could only hope that he would get better.

"I hope you can forgive me for what I'm doing to you," His voice and gestures seemed to sooth the sleeping Swede. Considering his check-up a success, the Reaper got up and was about to leave once again for the deck when...

"Tino..."

The sound of his own name stunned him. He spun around to find Berwald talking in his sleep, eyes shut and a smile tugging on his lips.

He smiled sadly at the figure. Tino didn't want to get his hopes up, but all the same went over to the man one last time, tucked him in snuggly, kissed him on the cheek...so close to the mouth before heading out and closing the door behind him. "Sweet dreams, Berwald."


	19. One Reason

**Song Title: One Reason** by **Fade**

* * *

The following day, the Reaper never brought up Berwald's breakdown or any vague implications of it. He greeted the blond as usual when he saw him in the hallways and acted as though it never happened, much to the taller man's relief.

But perhaps that breakdown was exactly what Berwald needed. With the passing days since then, the pain and guilt seemed to ebb away and some form of normalcy returned between the two on the ship. Of course, it wasn't exactly quite the same as before - the Swede kept his pining to himself and the Finn did not question his behavior as much. It was a nice situation despite how fragile and unstable it seemed.

Berwald wouldn't dare ask for more or better.

The sun continued to rise over and set under the horizon of the waters they sailed on.

He thought he could settle with this until one day, he heard the captain announce the next destination for the Draugen.

"All right men, it's been some time since our stop at the Siren's Saloon! Are ya guys cravin' fer some more action?"

The crew members voiced their eagerness in the form of discordant bellows.

The captain smirked at their expected response. "Well then eat hearty, boys, 'cause we're headin' for Aurora Cove!"

"Yeah!" The group grew even louder, rowdier…murderous.

The wild feeling was almost palpable on the ship and Berwald hated it. He didn't understand the significance of this new destination and was left in the dark like always. But the closer they got to the place, the more dread it brought upon the Swede. Was Aurora Cove like a bar or place of sin similar to the Siren's Saloon and that seedy town? Was Berwald going to have his heart broken again here as well? As the Draugen made its way towards its destination, the blond decided to ask his close companions exactly what this place held. Unlike the majority of the other members of the ship, Ludwig, Feliciano, and Peter all disapproved of the place. This further vexed and worried him. Just what were they getting themselves into?

This new destination was just filling Berwald with premonition.

 _Aurora Cove…_

Why did it sound so familiar? Berwald tried repeating the name over and over in his head in hopes that it would reveal something to him. He so desperately wanted to remember when and where he first heard of the place. It was while he was staring out at sea from the deck, trying to spot any landmass or markers in the expanse of ocean to indicate anything of importance that he heard footsteps nearby.

The Reaper had just finished speaking to Emil near the steering wheel and was making his way back down the stairs leading to the lower levels of the ship when he passed by the taller blond.

"Rea…"

The rifleman didn't say anything back when Berwald greeted him, continuing on his way as if he wasn't even there.

Berwald thought this was odd until he caught the look on the Finn's face.

The Reaper didn't look his way, violet eyes forward and distant, his usual sad smile replaced by a stony expression.

 _What's wrong? What's gotten into him?...Does he hate me?_

"…!"

It hit Berwald like a tidal wave then.

 _Aurora Cove!_

That was the name of the place Alfred had warned him to steer clear of! It was a place to be avoided at all costs for reasons that it upset the rifleman greatly…so much so that it caused him to turn grim.

Without thinking Berwald stormed off towards the captain's cabin.

"What's this? It's not pay day yet, Ber," Mathias welcomed the Swede warmly. The taller man was staring him down with those intimidating cyan eyes, causing an exciting chill to run down his spine. Was this the day he was going to get lucky with the former prostitute? "How nice of ya to visit! It's not often enough that ya do so," he cooed.

Berwald did not respond to the Dane's flirting as he silently walked up to the man at his mahogany desk.

"Is there somethin' else I can help ya with, Ber?" he purred. "Just name it-"

"Turn the ship around."

The playful smirk on Mathias' face was wiped clean off upon hearing the other's command. "What?"

"I want ya to change course…away from Aurora Cove." He didn't care how impudent he sounded. He had to get the Draugen to turn away from that place!

Mathias ground his teeth at his underling's insubordination, sky blue eye glaring hard at the man. "Oh? And what do you know about that place, Ber?" he challenged. He stood up from his luxurious chair and went around his desk to face the bespectacled blond.

"Reaper doesn't wanna go-" A gloved fist met his jaw before he could even finish.

"Ya got some nerve," the North Sea King spat. "Don't go talkin' about things ya know nothin' about! The Reaper needs this more than anything!"

Berwald glared at the other, readjusting the glasses on his face.

"Get outta my sight. I won't change course no matter what ya tell me." He glowered when the other defied him, still wanting to argue. "How dare ya even talk to me like that! Consider the price on yer head tripled for that!"

Berwald was about to return the blow to his face in kind when the doors opened to reveal the navigator of the ship.

"You're being loud again, Mathias," Lukas said disapprovingly.

"Just the man I wanted ta see!" the older brother cheered, his jovial disposition returning a bit. "Ber and I were just done here, take 'im away." He waved a hand briskly at the one who was still looking for a fight.

The stoic blond looked at Berwald for the longest time, compelling him to lower his fists and follow him quietly with just a few short words and dull navy gaze. "I've never seen anybody act so boldly towards the captain before. You must really feel strongly about avoiding our next destination; I cannot blame you," he said when the two awkwardly and stiffly walked down the hallway away from the captain's cabin.

The taller man scowled, silently trying to quell his anger.

Lukas polished the ring on his gloved finger with a white handkerchief in an unamused manner as he continued "Aurora Cove is a pirate's haven, a lawless little corner of the ocean…and our idiot captain likes to show off to the other pirate crews why he is the so-called 'most feared pirate of all the seven seas' whenever we sail by the area."

 _It doesn't matter what that bastard wants, the Reaper doesn't!_

Berwald's scowl grew deeper knowing that he couldn't change the course of this outcome and alleviate the rifleman's woe.

"Anyway, I suggest you get well rested." Lukas advised once they were out of the hallway and about to split ways. "I'm sure Mathias will have plans for you as well once we reach our destination. Take care of that jaw," he warned before heading back to his navigation room.

The Reaper's change in behavior became more and more prominent the closer they approached their destination. He became muter and more reclusive inside his room as the days went on.

Berwald became equally silent and aloof.

* * *

The day has finally come.

Berwald was standing on the deck when he saw land in front of him. The crewmates around him were leaning over the rails at the sight.

Aurora Cove ironically had the appearance of paradise - the land mass was a large island covered in lush vegetation. As the Draugen sailed under the massive natural stone arch looming above them like a grand gate, it welcomed the pirates into the inner parts of the island and the cove itself. The narrow entrance gave way to a wide oval of ocean enclosed by stone and sand. The water around here reflected the setting sun in such a way that streams of purple, blue, and green all swirled on the water's surface, imitating an aurora that wasn't there in the sky.

It soon became obvious that this island was inhabited despite its looks. Ships of all sizes bearing flags with different symbols on them docked along the shoreline of the cove. They bobbed on the water menacingly in large numbers, and there were so many that the ships threatened to collide into each other should a strong gust or wave hit them.

Emil skillfully guided the Draugen close enough to the shore and away from the rest of the group of ships to give them space to properly anchor.

Upon landing, the captain gave specific orders that Peter and Erland were to stay on the ship. A few others such as Feliciano, Ludwig, and Lovino refused to follow the rest of the armed crew and remained aboard as well.

Berwald saw no reason for his fellow crewmates to be so excited over this place, and the Reaper shared his sentiments, dragging his tan boots across the white sand as they made their way inland.

It wasn't very far until the North Sea King led them to the place they've all been waiting for. Set in a large, spacious cave on the island hidden by a curtain of green vines was the hideout for pirates and all those who were bold, brash, and strong enough to survive its trials.

The offensive sounds and smells were the first few things that greeted the blond – smoke, alcohol, and filth pervaded his nose when he got closer and eventually passed the mouth of the cave. Upon further analysis, the Swede figured it was more like a mountain that has been carved from the inside out to suit the needs of its scandalous inhabitants. Lamplight and torches lined the grimy walls of the cave, throwing harsh and flickering shadows all across the lively place. Bartenders set up shop there, selling the most forbidden of drinks at ridiculous prices. Alongside them, vendors of weapons, drugs, stolen artifacts, supplies and all forms of contraband lined the walls of the cave.

But goods and drinks weren't the only things the Aurora Cove has to offer.

Here, pirate crews from all over tested their mettle against each other, away from the eyes of the law. Various challenges were held in different parts of the cave ranging from tests of strength to skill and precision.

The crew of the Draugen quickly fanned out and made themselves known and comfortable in the damned place.

Lukas was seated on one side of a chess board, his navy eyes concentrating on the pieces as he calculated his next move.

On the other side of the cave, Emil was among a group of thieves, throwing knives in hand and ready to hit the straw targets set up on the far end.

Berwald's cyan eyes finally landed on the Reaper after trying to find him among the mass of bodies around them.

The rifleman, even through the skull mask on his face, appeared dazed, warily looking around but mostly up at the beams of wood overarching them at different levels of the cavern. They were haphazardly suspended across from one end of the cavern to the other in no particular pattern, some cross-hatching and others parallel to each other, some floors having fewer boards than others. Ropes coiled and dangled off some of the planks for reasons unknown and some of the planks crossed and weaved across multiple planes and levels of the cave, connecting certain floors to each other in the middle of the area. Stairs spiraled up and down the walls of the cave that have been dug out in order to fit a walkway to grant the pirates entry onto the higher levels of the place and have a seat and beer there. If they leaned over the crumbling rails, they could see the pirates below them sparring or having a good time on the ground floor.

The Swede didn't know what to expect coming here, but he knew the Finn was not happy, unusually solitary and anxious.

"There ya are, Ber!"

The addressed man felt a heavy hand grab and clasp him on the shoulder. He was spun around and met with the captain's blue eye and smirking face.

"Time ta earn yer keep, Lion of the North," The North Sea King sneered and pointed to a dirt ring where burly men were fighting each other in hand-to-hand combat. "I wagered on ya winning a match against that big guy over there, so make me proud, Ber…if ya know what's good fer ya," He flashed the Swede a sickly sweet grin before pushing the taller blond towards the arena.

Begrudgingly Berwald did as he was told, entering the ring after the current match was finished along with a bear of a man who didn't have a shirt on. The captain never went easy on him when it came to setting up his matches…

There was no signal to indicate the start of the match, but he just assumed the pirate charging at him was a good indication as any that it has begun.

He wasn't in the mood for any of this, and so as soon as he was able to escape a grapple from his opponent, turned the tides on him and ended up subduing him in a choke before the man surrendered. It took several blows and the opposing pirate's face nearly turning blue from the lack of oxygen until the other called it quits. The victor then straightened out his beige coat and gold sash and cleared out of the ring as soon as he was sure the match was over, not bothering to gloat like some of the other previous winners.

His win earned him applause and whooping from the pirates around him, including the North Sea King, who gave him an approving smile. Not that he needed any of it - Berwald sought the approval and recognition of only one person.

The Reaper was standing in the back of the group of spectators around the ring. However, he was so out of it that he hardly concentrated on the Lion of the North's match, offering the Swede a nod when he felt the man's eyes on him expectantly before returning his gaze to the ceiling.

"Come here, Ber!" Mathias called his champion over, wrapping an arm across his shoulders as he guided him away from the fighting ring. "I got another challenge fer ya, think ya can handle it?"

The bespectacled man was led from one arm wrestling or ring match to the next and other tests of strength. Before he knew it, he lost track of the time he spent here and the Reaper's whereabouts. It was only when exhaustion began to set in that the blond was finally given a break from it all by the captain of the Draugen.

"Ya havin' fun yet, Ber?" Mathias smirked, casually leaning on his shoulder.

The taller blond was too tired to shake him off.

"Well ya can rest yer pretty little head now, Ber. And 'cause ya did so well out there, you deserve a treat."

Berwald found himself dragged over to the center of the cave.

 _Oh gods…what now?_

The North Sea King himself stepped forward and bellowed "All right ya scoundrels, play time's over! I'd say it's high time for the main event!" His voice was louder and more boisterous than usual, cutting through everyone else's chatter as it bounced off the cavern walls.

Nearly everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to the Dane.

Satisfied that all eyes were on him, Mathias continued "We all know why we're here – to show everyone who's the most feared pirate in all the seven seas! So let's get right to the real challenge, shall we?"

Sonorous cries echoed all throughout the area, as if the very hollowed mountain was roaring and rumbling.

Now that he has played the crowd and riled them up, the North Sea King announced "Then what the hell are we all waitin' for?! Let the games begin! Let the Deadman's Catwalk begin!"

"Yeah!" The pirates all howled as one.

 _Deadman's Catwalk?_

Berwald did not like where this was going.

Mathias smirked as he turned from one end of the crowd to the other. "Y'all know the rules: the last man on the 'catwalk' wins. Killing's allowed, weapons are welcomed and so are any tricks in the book to get the other 'deadmen' off the boards!"

In the corner of his eye, the Swede caught sight of the Reaper shrinking and curling in on himself at these words. He was trying to make himself invisible among the crowd of pirates.

 _Reaper…_

"Now I'd like to bring out my 'deadman' for this challenge – 'The Reaper' himself!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the rifleman mournfully slinked out of the crowd to join his captain in the center of the cave. His disposition seemed like that of a man about to be executed.

 _What? No!_

The blood in Berwald's veins began to freeze as he turned stiffly to the mad Dane.

Mathias sneered at his fellow pirates and he said "Now I gamble that my deadman will win all by himself! Y'all can send out as many of yerselves out there as ya want, but it won't matter 'cause my Reaper can take y'all on!"

Jeers and venomous threats were thrown at the blond captain, and he reveled in them. This was exactly how he wanted them to react to his bold remark. "Yeah that's right, tell ya what – ya can even gang up on him if ya want…won't make a difference I tell ya!"

"What?!"

"And guess what, I'll even make it easier for y'all," The North Sea King pulled out a pair of iron shackles and dangled it in front of him for all to see. "My deadman's gonna go in there without weapons with these on!"

"Yer bluffin'!"

But the captain of the Draugen wasn't.

Obediently and silently, the Reaper did what was implied of him and surrendered his twin flintlock pistols to Lukas who was standing at his side for the event. Now unarmed, he then automatically offered his wrists to Mathias who eagerly shackled the smaller man, binding his hands together in front of him. The Finn kept his head down the entire time.

At this point some of the pirates scoffed at such a display and quickly threw in their bets and men for an easy win – they were the rookies here.

The veterans of Aurora Cove knew better than to take the bait and resigned, not wanting to partake in this challenge and instead watch it from the sidelines.

With everything put into motion, the challenge was well under way and the participants got into their positions on the various floors of each end of the boards overlooking the cave floor.

Throughout it all, Berwald could only trace his eyes on the Reaper as the man went up the stairs and onto a plank on the higher levels of the arena. The chains of his shackles clinked together in front of him while the white feather of his hat and tattered ends of his black coat flowed behind him. It really was as if he was a dead man walking.

 _This is madness!_

Mathias was going to get the Reaper killed!

"What are ya doing?!" The Swede finally found his voice and complained to the Dane. "Yer crazy! He's gonna-"

"Ya know, fer a big guy ya sure whine a lot!" The North Sea King shot him a leer, demanding that his underling cease his prattle. "Just enjoy the show – it's about to begin."

Berwald had half a mind to step onto the planks and take part in this suicidal game to help his crewmate, but felt a firm hand on his shoulder.

"The idiot always likes to show off his belongings," Lukas held the taller blond back, spinning one of the Reaper's pistols in his white gloved hand idly. "Things might get out of hand…I suggest you stay back for your own safety."

"Are ya ready, deadmen?"

The cave came to life once more with the vicious bellows for the Deadman's Catwalk to begin.

The Reaper remained solemn and silent as a grave.

 **Bang!**

A shot of a pistol signaled the start of the event.

Battle cries and the charging of feet on wooden boards echoed in the spacious cavern.

The first order of business for a lot of the challengers was to target the most helpless one – the Reaper. They zeroed in on the bound man in the middle of the plank from both sides, brandishing their pistols and swords.

"That captain of yers sure has a lot of faith in ya…too bad it's misplaced!"

"It's just yer luck ta have to face me, mate!"

"Once I kill ya, that doubloon is as good as mine!"

Despite the threats thrown at him and the encroaching pirates, the Reaper remained calm. His breathing was even behind his mask, his stance loose and bound hands raised in front of him.

The first round of bullets flew, and there was just enough space on the plank to sidestep the shots and slashes of blades that came after. His movements weren't as graceful as usual because of his shackled hands, but he made the most of it. Using only his legs, he jumped away from the incoming pirates while kicking some of them off the plank when he found an opening. Some of them ended up landing on a board on another level or fell to the hard floor below. Beneath and along the walls of the cavern, the audience clamored and shouted at the performers.

"Hold still!" Someone lunged and tried to tackle the platinum blond.

"Reaper!"

"Heads up, mate!"

"…!" Someone threw a flash bomb at the Finn's feet, stunning and blinding him. "Guh!" Using the moment of disorientation, someone snuck up from behind and rammed him into the board face first.

"On your feet, Reaper!" Mathias snarled below him.

The rifleman turned on his back just in time to see his executioner standing over him with an axe in hand.

"It's over!"

"No, Reaper!"

 **Clang!**

When the hard swing descended upon him, the Finn held his chains up in front of him to block the blow. The moment the link binding his hands together was broken from the heavy force, he rolled away from his attacker and rose to his feet in an instant, arms now liberated.

Mathias chuckled at the turn of events above him. "That's cheating, Reaper…I like that!"

A lot of the other spectators agreed and continued cheering.

"Ain't dead yet, is he?"

"Aw he will be soon enough, just ya wait! My crew will butcher that runt!"

Berwald could only watch with bated breath after that last incident. The other nearly had his head cut off! Despite the chaos on the other floors of the cavern, none was quite as interesting and intense to watch as the one the Reaper was on. He didn't know how much more he could take, cyan eyes never leaving the dark figure dancing on the suspended wooden plank now that his hands were free.

The Reaper could better fend for himself and was more effective at blocking the blows given to him now, but he was still unarmed compared to the other surrounding contenders. Ultimately, he had no choice but to kick them off the plank, disarm them by hand, and grab any dropped weapons along the way to keep up with the hoard of pirates lining up on both ends of the plank to take him on. It became apparent, however, that he was clearly outnumbered and despite sensing his attackers, there was simply no space and too many blows to dodge or parry. "Ah!" He slumped when a cutlass sliced his arm, followed by a kick to his back by another.

 _He doesn't stand a chance! He has his limits!_

It took all of Berwald's strength to continue being a spectator as he gritted his teeth at the man's pain. Although faring well in spite of his situation, the Reaper was taking damage from all sides as the other pirates ganged up on him. He was losing. These contending deadmen were not like the greenhorns who the blond saw trying to attack them on his first-witnessed raid aboard the Draugen. No, this bunch was far more skilled and experienced, most of them coordinating their attacks with others in order to land a blow on the Finn. They were willing to work with each other in order to take down a shared opponent.

 **Bang!**

A pained howl resonated within the cave when the Reaper was able to grab a pistol from someone and shoot the oncoming attacker. The wounded man fell onto a beam very close to the cavern's floor, close enough for Berwald to see that he was still breathing and struggling to get up. He wasn't hit anywhere vital.

"Damn it, Reaper!" He heard the North Sea King cuss beside him, glaring at the living victim disapprovingly. "You're bein' too soft on 'em!"

"Get back over here!"

"…!" The Reaper has been trying to give himself space by leaping from one wooden plank to the other without falling in between the gaps. But no matter where he went, trouble followed and the pirates would give him their full attention and mob him. The board he just landed on was predominantly owned by a large pirate with a hook for a right hand.

The new opponent cleaved his hook into the Finn's shoulder and pulled him back onto the plank, twisting it into the wound.

"Gaaahh!"

"Reaper!"

The merciless pirate trampled over the platinum blond now flat on the floorboard. "Remember me, Reaper?!" He didn't give the other any time to recover and kicked him in the stomach before grabbing the masked man's left arm and bending it behind his back at a painful angle. He reveled in the grunt he received from the normally placid pirate as he pinned him down with his boot. "You'd better…ya chopped me hand right off the last time we met here!"

Through painful and labored gasps the Reaper managed to say "I'm…sorry…"

But his answer did not satisfy the pirate and he growled out "Oh you will be once I'm through with you! I'll pay ya back tenfold for what ya did to me!"

 _No!_

"I wanna hear ya squeal!"

 **Crack!**

An ear-shattering scream of utter pain reverberated inside the cavern from the Reaper as his left arm was twisted so badly behind him that it dislocated his shoulder. The wind was knocked out of him via the weight of the heavy man's foot on his back and hook incessantly tearing at his flesh.

The crowd and contestants grew wild from the carnage.

Many of the pirates who pursued the Finn stopped and simply watched as the large man tortured their target, sadistic smiles etched on their faces.

"Damn it, Reaper!" The rifleman's captain swore loudly. "What the hell are you doing?! Get up, now! Huh? And where d'ya think yer goin'?"

The cry of pain set something off inside Berwald and spurred him into action. He charged towards the staircase that led to the wooden planks, but his movements were hindered by a hand grabbing onto his arm.

The North Sea King's grip was like iron as he said jestingly "Now don't ruin the Reaper's fun, Ber! It's just gettin' started-!"

 **Smack!**

He didn't have time for this! Berwald shut Mathias up with a square punch to his jaw, successfully loosening the other's vice grip on his beige coat. He continued making his way towards the stairs again, only to have his face crash into the ground and his body pinned to the floor from a force behind him.

"Disobeyin' me again eh, Ber? You sure like to test my patience!" Mathias sat on the taller man's back, a black gloved hand pulling on blond hair to keep Berwald's head down in the dirt. "Do…not…interfere." he enunciated. "The Reaper just needs a little push, ya know?" he smiled wickedly up at the suffering contestant. "You'll see…you'll all see!"

Berwald desperately craned his neck from his position on the ground to catch a glimpse of what was going on above him. He could still hear the other's dissonant and pain-filled howl. The sound and the fact that he couldn't help tore his heart. "Reaper…"

"Humph. Yer more pathetic than I last remembered, Reaper." The pirate with the hook hand spat at the unmoving masked man before kicking him off his plank. "Still, that doesn't mean I won't kill ya!" He jumped off the board and followed the falling Finn.

The Reaper silently descended a few flights, breaking through one of the wooden beams and bouncing off a couple more before landing on one on his side.

Mathias scowled when his subordinate did not move from his spot on the lower board. "Damn it, Reaper! Don't tell me yer dead already! Get back up this instant!" he ordered.

Some of the audience was ready to demand payment for their bets.

Berwald tasted copper on his lips from biting down on them so hard. Still immobilized, he could only look on in worry.

"Hmm," the rifleman slowly rose to his feet, his shoulders hunched.

"There you are!" After descending to his level more gracefully than the platinum blond, the offending pirate landed feet first onto the same plank as him. He took his time approaching the smaller pirate, hook hand poised.

"Well now, this is rather uncomfortable," the Reaper said lightly, looking at his dislocated shoulder. Without even flinching, he grabbed the area with his other hand and pushed the bone back into place with an audible pop.

"What?!" Berwald's cyan eyes widened when he saw what the other just did and was now freely rotating the arm.

 _Doesn't he feel anything?! How can he be so calm?!_

Something wasn't right…something triggered...

"That's better," he sighed when he regained some use of his left arm. From the previous motion, the mask fell off his face and landed somewhere below him. He didn't care.

The Swede's breath caught in his throat at what the discarded mask revealed – uncharacteristically murderous violet eyes and a toothy grin set on that porcelain face.

The Reaper spat out some blood that collected from his gums to the side. "Much better..." He looked at the larger man stalking towards him and gave him a sweet smile as he said "Do you really want to end it like this?"

"Ha! Yer forgettin' who just broke yer arm and kicked ya down the boards, boy!" The pirate with the hook hand showed no signs of backing down. The idea was ludicrous - he had the upper hand here against his foe who still had no weapon on him. The guy must be desperate. "I'll see yer pretty face in hell!"

"Oh I'm afraid you'll have to wait for me there then,"

"What-!" Before the pirate took another step, a gust rushed at him and he found himself kneed in the guts before falling onto his back. "Son of a-AHH!" It all happened so fast, but before he even knew it the Reaper was upon him and held him down with a knee to his throat, forcing his hook hand to cleave through his own stomach.

The spectators howled their approval of the new bloodshed.

"That's nice, just a little more," The Finn dragged the hook across his victim's torso slowly, breaking skin and pulling up some of the innards. The man below him continued to screech during his operation. Eventually he dropped the hook hand in favor of reaching out to the gash with his own white gloved hands, ripping the pirate's intestines out from the cavity and strangling the bearded man with the fleshy ribbon. "Hush now, it'll all be over soon," he cooed.

Depraved violet eyes and a feral grin were the last things the victim saw before he took his last breath, face blue and surrounded by his own entrails.

The small lapse of shock from the audience erupted into barbaric roars as the Deadman's Catwalk continued.

"Get him!" The other deadmen regained their senses after the little spectacle and charged towards the Reaper with renewed bloodlust.

"Hahaha, oh how lovely!"

The Reaper's movements became more erratic and violent, shooting to kill when he had a gun in hand and as the bodies fell from the boards and landed on the ground near Mathias, the captain smiled cruelly from his perch on Berwald's back. "That's it…that's my Reaper."

"Death is in full bloom," Lukas added, eyeing the man who was now busy caving someone's skull in with the butt of a stolen pistol.

"I feel sorry for those guys," Emil said apathetically. "They don't know what they're up against."

 _Reaper...!_

Berwald continued to stare in shock and horror at what the other was doing.

It was a murderous self-sustaining cycle - for each body that fell before him, the Reaper had access to a weapon to continue his onslaught. It didn't matter what he held in his hands or who he was up against; they all went down with one slash or shot. The man moved quickly, jumping and flipping from one plank to the next with ease to remain unpredictable and descending upon unsuspecting contenders who were busy with their own little battles. He didn't play fair, bringing the fight to them or vice versa. The tattered ends of his black long coat fluttered each time he leapt off a board or swung from some of the precarious bits of rope hanging off the wooden beams.

"Get that madman!"

"Fire!"

 **Bang!**

The targeted man hung himself upside down on a plank by hooking his legs on it, his knees bent over the edge in order to dodge the incoming fire and dispatch the pirates a floor below him with a pair of pistols he stole from a corpse nearby, shooting them in the head while hanging upside down. He then swung forward with his upper body, relinquished his grip on the board, and flipped onto a lower beam. After kicking a guy so hard in the stomach that he flew off the board and rebounded off the cavern wall before falling onto a table below, the rifleman stilled.

"Haha, this simply won't do…" The Reaper laughed to himself, running a bloody hand up the side of his face and through his platinum blond hair, streaking it crimson. His wide eyes darted all around him wildly. "It's not enough!"

There were at least still half of the contestants remaining.

He decided to jump off the deserted plank in favor of a more occupied one next to him. The madman kept going regardless of his bleeding injuries that stained his clothes. Upon landing on the inhabited board, a pirate who saw him waltzing over immediately threw a couple of knives at him, going for the vital organs.

"Just die already!"

The Reaper caught each one by the handle. "Hmm,"

 _Watch out!_

A third one flew in towards his head while he was distracted.

The crowd cheered loudly then.

The Finn had held up a hand and caught the throwing knife in between his fingers just inches before it hit his face…as if holding a cigar. "Not what I'm used to, but it'll do," he hummed. With a flick of his wrist, he threw the newly-caught blade right back at the owner where it got stuck in his skull between the eyes.

In a sick sense of irony, the remaining deadmen who so hotly pursued the Reaper were now running from him after all they had just witnessed, sprinting off the planks and making for the stairwell.

But it was too late for that now.

"Outta my way-gah!"

"Death comes to all," the Reaper uttered gravely and gave chase to the fleeing pirates, a throwing knife in each hand. Up and down the stairs he went, leaving behind corpses hanging over the planks of wood in his wake, their torment on display for all to see. The knives and his gloves drenched in blood, he eventually came across an unused pistol and added that to his arsenal. "Die, die, DIE!"

Among the screams, there was laughter.

Bodies of the contestants littered all around where Berwald and the other pirates were standing watch, the stench of death stifling the air around them, making it even harder to breathe in combination with what they were witnessing. It chocked the Swede who was still lying flat on his stomach, held down by Mathias with a corpse on the ground staring blankly next to him.

 _Stop…Reaper…_

The man was out of control! Yes, Berwald has seen him kill many times before, but never like this. The other felt no remorse or lament for his actions this time...he was enjoying this...He was loving the slaughter. That angelic face was saturated in blood, eyes alight with mania. But unfortunately Berwald didn't know what to do…if he could do anything at all at this point. All he could do was watch in horror as the Finn took his time tearing the knife out of his victim.

"Why you!" A bold pirate snuck up behind the Reaper still relishing in his recent kill and threw a chained hook around the smaller man. He hoped to string the madman up dead.

"Huh?" The metal links coiled around the upper part of the platinum blond's frame a couple of times before the pirate reeled him in. He felt himself flying back and away from his latest kill, arms strapped to his sides as he lost his balance and fell off the board. His body dangled over the bottom of the cave like a ragdoll, held up by the chains and mercy of the pirate above him.

For a moment the Reaper hung there, tethered in chains and looking down at everyone below with a feral grin on his face, his teeth showing brightly.

Berwald made eye contact with him, but the man didn't seem to recognize him.

The Reaper wasn't taking his own situation seriously. "How amusing," He pushed his legs forward to gain momentum and swung on the metal links lightly, wiggling around a bit to loosen them.

"Now there's nowhere for ya to run, Reaper!" The bearded pirate held the chain suspending the rifleman in one hand while the other went to his holster and pulled out a flintlock pistol.

 **Bang!**

"Wha-"

Abandoning one of the knives in order to free up his hand, the Reaper bent his arm up and grabbed onto the chain to his side that kept him connected to his opponent, tugging the bondage harshly enough to throw the other pirate off balance and lurching over the plank himself.

The bullet missed its target and only grazed the Reaper's cheek as both pirates descended to a board below in the center of the cave.

The opposing deadman managed to right himself in the air and landed on his feet…but the Reaper was already there to meet him. "What?!" The end of his chained hook was empty…

The rifleman managed to unwind himself before his feet hit the plank, leaving the other man dumbfounded. "That was fun, but something's missing…"

"Impossible! How-!" The pirate only saw a wisp of black before his vision blurred, his mouth wide and gaping like a fish when he looked down at himself.

"There's not enough blood…" The Reaper growled, leering into his opponent's bulging eyes filled with pain and terror. The hand with the remaining knife stabbed cleanly and swiftly into the other man's stomach, carving out as much of his innards as possible.

"AHHH!" The poor victim could barely hold his legs up as the other proceeded to extract the blade and instead cut his chest wide open. The chained hook fell from his hand.

The platinum blond didn't stop there with his torture, however, cruel hands diving into the flesh of the slashed chest and splitting open the rib cage in order to reach the organ hiding behind it. With a gleeful giggle the Reaper grabbed the pirate's heart in his hand and pulled, severing the arteries still attached to it.

 _Oh dear gods!_ Berwald felt bile rising up his throat at the sight.

By now the contestant in front of the Reaper was no longer living, hollowed body slumping back before it crashed onto a wooden table on the ground.

After sadistically watching the heart in his hand beat a couple more times, pumping out crimson onto the material of his already stained gloves, the madman grew bored. He tossed the disconnected organ into the air, drawing out the pistol he stole and aiming skyward.

 **Bang!**

The heart bursted with a splat, making it rain blood down onto the wooden planks and ground below.

The Reaper had his arms outstretched and looked up, as if bathing in the crimson droplets. He was completely splattered with the stuff. "Nobody leaves here alive!" He cackled towards the ceiling of the large cave.

"Now that's more like it!"

All the fighting and bloodshed from the Deadman's Catwalk was calling out to the spectators and making them bloodthirsty as well, small fights breaking out all over in the cavern as if it was a madhouse. No one cared for the rules or the challenge itself anymore at this point.

Some of the pirate crews, sensing that their lives were in danger and didn't want it to end here, fled the scene as discreetly as possible.

With this display complete, Mathias got up from his spot on Berwald's back and finally let the blond stand back up. "All right Reaper, that's enough! Get back down here!" He called back the man who was hounding after his next victim on the board.

Like a trained dog, the Reaper slumped, suddenly small and tired in the middle of the cavern. His footsteps slowed, suddenly disinterested in everything going on around him as he listlessly found and picked up his mask, concealing his bloody face with it before leaving the arena.

It became obvious to Berwald that the North Sea King was relishing in exercising such control over the rifleman and showing to everyone in the place just who was the most feared pirate the sea has ever seen. But more importantly, who the man belonged to and served. The Dane greedily collected his blood money, no longer caring what his other crew members were doing at this point as he went on to boast to those who would lend him an ear.

The Swede's cyan eyes lingered on the weary Finn as he was taken out by Lukas, leaving as noiselessly as possible.

The pirates who saw the two approach quickly scurried out of their way as to not even step foot in the Reaper's shadow.

Berwald wanted to reprimand and beat Mathias into the ground for what he has put the other through, but instead tending to the platinum blond took priority. He flitted after the navigator and rifleman, utterly disgusted with what he just saw. The cave still boomed with chaos behind him when he bursted through the vine curtain of the entrance and back towards the Draugen.

Lukas stopped short of the boarding plank and followed the deadman with his eyes while the shorter blond made the rest of the trek solemnly by himself. "It is unwise to see him at the moment," he said without turning to Berwald when he heard the man coming from a few feet away.

"…"

"I can't guarantee your safety if you do. You should stay away for a while," But when the first mate saw that his words had no effect on the man and he continued walking ahead of him, he said as a last piece of advice "Don't make eye contact with him."

Berwald's feet were heavy and the boarding plank felt much steeper than usual as he dragged his boots up the wooden platform. He only barely remembered grabbing his medical supplies and making his way towards the grand hall. Half of his mind was numb, traumatized by the massacre he had just witnessed instigated by the man he loved. The air grew thinner and colder the closer he got to the Reaper's room.

The kind and smiling Finn was gone, replaced with a depraved and sadistic spectre of the man.

He saw nothing resembling the rifleman he knew or even a shred of humanity left in those eyes. What he saw wasn't ordinary anger or rage…no, it went beyond that into the realm of derangement.

The blond lingered in front of the Reaper's door, his feet filled with lead and heart with trepidation.

The horror stories Lovino liked to tell regarding the man were suddenly not so far from the truth. Not far from the truth at all. In fact, they didn't do the real thing justice.

This was the Reaper of a pirate's nightmare come to life.

The one Berwald feared the man would be.

The one he still loved.


	20. Animal I Have Become

**Song Title: Animal I Have Become** by **Three Days Grace**

* * *

With all his courage, Berwald knocked on the door and let himself in when no response came from the other side. He knew the Reaper was in there - the fresh red boot prints were a dead giveaway. Air thick and heady with the smell of blood hit him the moment he opened the door and he nearly gagged from it all.

The taller male's entrance startled the Reaper at first. "Oh, uh…h-hello there, B-Berwald," He tried to act natural, but something wasn't right with his tone – it was gruff and strained. He averted looking at the man near his doorway, suddenly finding the corner of his room immensely fascinating.

Berwald said nothing as he took a tentative step closer towards the man sitting on the bed and looked around briefly to observe the place and person in front of him.

The Reaper's skull mask was still hiding his face and the broken shackles dangled off his wrists; Berwald would have to remove those at a later time. A bottle of medicine was emptied out and abandoned on the desk nearby. The Swede barely noticed that the walls were lined with more tally marks than he last remembered.

"I'm not feeling well right now…perhaps we can talk later?" the Finn offered meekly, curling in on himself and away from the taller blond.

Berwald shook his head.

"Get out now! Before you regret it!" he growled from behind his mask. The broken chains rattled with his words, amplifying them.

It was the first time the other ever raised his voice at him, but he refused to turn tail and run. "You're hurt," he finally said, having every intention to tend to the massive number of wounds on the other's body. The platinum blond left them uncared for, letting them all bleed out onto his clothes, mixing with the blood of his victims and seeping into the dark comforter below, dying everything a deep shade of crimson.

The Reaper snarled. "Such obstinance…" The taller male was nearly in front of him now, kneeling to his eye level. "I'm not normal…not all right…something's not right with me…" he tried to dissuade the other, shaking his head vehemently. The mask fell off from the motion and landed on his lap. "Don't look at me! I'm a monster!"

"No yer not," Berwald quickly responded, slowly reaching a hand out to start cleaning the more visible cuts. He was relieved when the other did not resist, only stiffening from his touch when he had to peel the black long coat back and roll up the beige undershirt to get to the wounds beneath. The injuries were predominantly around his upper body.

 _Some of these cuts are so deep…he needs stitches_

"What do you think you're doing?!" The Reaper hissed when the other disinfected the puncture wound left by the hook-handed pirate. He struggled under the ministration.

But Berwald held fast and gently onto the arm he was wrapping clean white gauze around, kissing the wound there without even knowing it. "Helping you." He stared at the other's hand a moment longer before moving onto the rest of the remaining injuries. This was not the time for the blond to pity himself over his lovesick situation, feel guilty for what he's done behind the Finn's back, or be afraid of the other's murderous intent. If he was to redeem himself, now was the time. The Reaper was there for him when he fell apart and was at his lowest; he would do the same for him.

He still loved him and wanted to do anything to make the rifleman feel better.

"Help…?" The platinum blond's voice was nearly shrill with hysteria at this point. "It's too late for that now, I'm beyond salvation!"

"No you're not," he repeated himself to the other, finding the Reaper relax a bit from the words and cease in his struggles, solemnly accepting the tender care he was receiving.

It was quiet for a while.

"Berwald…"

The voice beckoned him and he made the mistake of looking up from his work.

Burning violet eyes met him.

"I'm sorry…"

Those eyes screamed for blood and murder, insanity let out of its cage and into its owner's eyes.

"…!" The moment they made eye contact, the Reaper was upon him, tackling him from where he was sitting on the edge of the bed and pinning him down to the floorboards on his back.

The medical instruments, black hat, and skull mask fell to the floor like rain.

The Reaper straddled his prey's hips, tilting his head in amusement at the man's wide cyan eyes behind skewed wire-rimmed glasses. "Are you afraid? Don't worry, it'll be a slow and sweet death, I assure you." He stroked Berwald's cheek nearly lovingly as a hand wrapped around that taut neck. His smile was crooked and strained, the cold chains around his wrists clinking and draping to the side of the other's throat.

"Reaper…" he gasped out, body turning to ice at the situation he was in. The taller man barely registered the affectionate gesture, his current position hoarding all of his attention. His breathing quickened and was made worse when the other's fingers dug into his throat.

 _Get a hold of yourself…please!_

The man on top giggled playfully. "It's okay, don't fear the Reaper," he cooed.

"Guh...!" Although Berwald's vision was fading to black, he could still see that angelic face painted with the blood of his enemies, those purple eyes glowing and white teeth bared at him. The grip on him was unrelenting despite his half-hearted protest, choking the life out of him little by little. "Rea...per..." he wheezed out with the last ounce of his breath. He could no longer keep his eyes opened.

"Oh dear gods...what have I done?! No, no...noooo! Berwald!"

In that last moment of consciousness, the hand around his neck flew up to stroke his cheek instead.

"Breathe, Berwald...you have to breathe! Open your eyes, please!"

Air once again entered the strangled man's lungs.

"It's all my fault...I did this..." The Reaper's own breathing came out short and he began to hyperventilate. "No...they chose to die...they chose to get slaughtered...THEY...CHOSE! But he...he didn't..."

As Berwald coughed and struggled to take deep breaths, uncontrollable screaming could be heard above him.

"No, don't...Don't kill him! He was only trying to...NO! I don't want to...please!"

"…?"

The Reaper's disturbing babble eventually died down to a quiet whimper until it became a deathly silence, broken only by his victim's ragged breathing.

When Berwald had the courage to look at his assailant again, the rifleman's expression changed to something the Swede was more familiar with – sorrow.

"Don't be afraid, Berwald…please…" There was nothing but suffering in those eyes, the blood running down his face appearing more like tears now. He relinquished his hold on the taller blond altogether and slumped down, resting his forehead on the man's chest. "I'm so sorry…"

Berwald could only watch in complete shock at the sudden change in attitude as the Finn lifted himself off him.

"Please, just leave…stay away from me…for your own good," he whispered softly, avoiding Berwald's gaze once again.

"No." The blond stood up to return to the Reaper's side. "Not until ya get better," he said adamantly.

"I don't understand…why?" the platinum blond frowned, eyes peering at the other searchingly. Those violet orbs looked so conflicted, battling its inner demons and insanity while trying to figure the taller man out without mangling him. He was trying so hard to regain his senses…but they kept slipping through the cracks of his mind.

 _Because I care about you, I'm worried about you…because I love you_

He knew this to be true despite what he saw back there.

But Berwald could not put his thoughts and reasons into words. Instead, he quickly shook off the sense of fear from the incident moments ago to focus on the last of the major wounds adorning the other's body. Again the Reaper became docile, letting him resume his work.

However at times, the shorter male would have that wild look return to his eyes and more than once threatened Berwald while he tended to him, unable to discern friend from foe in his manic state. But no matter what, despite his threats, other than the first time he assaulted him, the Reaper never followed through and hurt the Swede again.

For his part, Berwald pushed past the fright to continue his treatment of the other.

And then the Reaper would revert back to his kind self, apologizing profusely for what he has done and thanking the man for putting up with him. The murderous glint shining in his violet eyes flickered like a fading pulse, but its intensity was stronger than that seen in Mathias and his brothers.

It terrified Berwald most definitely when his life was threatened, but his want to help the other was stronger than that and he remained in the room. He didn't know how much time elapsed between them when he finally managed to stop the bleeding of all the wounds on the man's upper body. For the most part, only the Reaper's face remained caked in blood.

The rifleman remained unusually quiet and still.

"Sorry," Berwald muttered before grabbing the last clean cloth and proceeding to wipe the crimson substance away. His black gloved hands were steady despite his frantic thoughts and beating heart as he held the Reaper's face in his hands, lightly dabbing the cloth here and there where it quickly got tainted a deep red color.

"…"

While the Swede cleaned the other's face, he couldn't help but let his touch linger. He stroked the smooth porcelain skin reverently with the tips of his fingers and back of his hand, rubbing the same spot even though there was no more blood left to wipe off there. At this point he threw reason out the window and didn't care if his actions resulted in the other mauling him.

But the Reaper let him do as he pleased.

In fact, it might just have been his imagination or the high from his near-death experience with the other not so long ago, but Berwald could have sworn the man was leaning into his touch, eyes downcast and hooded.

The Finn sighed softly, eventually looking up at the man taking care of him, knowing the other was staring at him intensely.

Violet locked with cyan in a long and intimate gaze.

Berwald held his breath, as if releasing it would dispel the connection they were having. That perfect face was staring back at him defeatedly, mournfully…peering into his soul for answers to unspoken questions. His hand slowed in its caressing until it ceased altogether. The other man made no motion to attack him like last time.

"It's getting cold…so cold…why?" The Reaper put on his dark coat once the taller blond was done cleaning the blood from his face, hugging himself around the arms. Anemia was setting in and the rifleman has lost too much blood. He was paler than usual, his breathing ragged. It was then that strong arms securely wrapped around him in a warm embrace on the bed, making sure to avoid any major wounds.

"Better?" Without even thinking, Berwald held the smaller man and pulled them both down onto the bed where he laid on his side next to the other. He was careful of the Reaper's left shoulder, positioning him to lay on his right side and avoid hugging him too tightly. He felt the Finn bury his face into his chest.

Blood still drenched the Reaper's clothing and got on nearly everything and everywhere in the room. It got on Berwald as well, but the bespectacled man held the other close no matter what.

At first the platinum blond simply heaved into the chest in front of him, the sound labored and heavy. But then a mad giggle erupted from his throat, and finally a sorrowful scream. He would spastically clutch onto Berwald, sometimes with murderous intentions, hands coming up to wring the man's neck. But then he would let go altogether the moment his fingers laid on that soft skin, lifeless and drained.

Berwald let the Reaper do as he wished to his person, continuing to support and hold him as he cycled through his volatile emotions. He craned his head down the best he could to have a better look at the man in his arms, but eventually dared not to move for fear that it would evoke a violent reaction from the other.

"I didn't want to…" The words hung in the air dense with the smell of death. Sometimes the Reaper moved his head up so that his mouth was dangerously close to Berwald's throat, threatening to rip it open.

Berwald could sense the rifleman shaking not from fear, but from a thirst for blood. It sent chills down his spine whenever those sharp teeth neared and scraped along his skin. But he remained where he was on the bed, refusing to abandon the Reaper. He knew the other needed him now.

 _I won't let you go, I promise_

"I'm sorry you have to see me like this," the Reaper muttered into his neck, his breath tickling the Swede's sensitive skin there. "Hanatamago usually helps me when I'm like this," He held Berwald tightly then around his torso. "But she's gone now..." The Finn continued to mumble under his breath, Berwald attentively listening to him until the blood loss and exhaustion took him away and he eventually fell fast asleep in the comforting man's arms.

When the Reaper stilled and his light voice faded into the night air, a fragile calm fell upon the room.

Berwald rested his chin on top of the smaller male's head, nuzzling into platinum blond hair slightly streaked with blood and kissing his scalp when he was sure the other was unconscious. Only now relief flooded over him as he realized that the madness has passed and the Reaper would recover from his injuries. His body became less tense at the thought and he allowed himself the rare privilege of holding the man he loved in his arms on the black bed. Soon enough, he drifted off to the land of dreams as well, taking the rifleman's scent with him.

 _Please be all right, Reaper...goodnight_

* * *

When morning came, Berwald was the only one in the room to be aware of it, the man in his arms still sleeping soundly. Reluctantly, he pulled himself away from the smaller blond in order to get a better look at him. What he saw made him smile affectionately.

The Reaper looked at peace, calm and chest rising in slow, even breaths.

The sight was worth all the trouble of last night, the insanity, his life at risk and all. Seeing the Reaper so vulnerable in this current state made his heart melt and the Swede couldn't help but lean down and kiss the Finn's cute face.

However, he had to get up - his job wasn't done yet. A lot of the furniture that came into contact with the Reaper needed to be wiped down. The floor of the macabre room was littered with leftover medical supplies and used bandages covered in dried blood. He would probably have to scrub the floor itself as well to rid it of the dark crimson blotches staining the oak wood. Slowly as to not disturb the Reaper, Berwald hauled himself off the enticing bed and went to work.

"Hey, yer still in one piece," Mathias commented when he saw his subordinate coming down the hallway. He heard the other had gone to visit the Reaper right after his massacre and couldn't help but wonder what became of it. Seeing Berwald walking around in the flesh made him frown a bit at what it implied. "Impressive..."

The Reaper did not kill this man even in his manic state...meaning that the rifleman felt strongly enough for Berwald in order to restrain himself. The Lion of the North meant something important to the Finn – something so dear that he would spare him. This could prove to be a problem…

Berwald growled at the blond captain and let loose his tirade that he has kept bottled up since leaving the cave. "What the hell were ya thinking?! Sending Reaper out there like that was suicidal!" He confronted the Dane, yelling "How can ya treat the Reaper as if he's some animal?!" He was answered with a fist to his jaw and the glasses knocked off his face.

The North Sea King was in no mood to argue, all the fighting he did last night back at the cave shortened his temper even further, his blood boiling and killing intent reflecting in his sky blue eye. "That's 'cause he is one!" he cackled boisterously, the harsh sound echoing down the hall. "Are ya blind or what, Ber? Did ya see the carnage back there?!" He continued to laugh a wheezy laugh at the recollection. "He can't possibly be human! And that heart exploding bit, very creative!" He smiled crookedly at the scowling Swede once he has finished laughing depravedly. "I'll admit, it took longer for Reaper to snap than usual, but when he did I've never seen him that mad before...that guy is just full of surprises!"

 _How disgusting..._ Berwald thought derisively, wiping the blood off his mouth from the blow with the back of his hand.

"It's simply wonderful, ain't it? Don't cha see, Ber? _This_ is the _real_ Reaper... _This_ is the reason why he's so feared! Killing is all he knows and nothing more…and I hold the leash on that freak!"

"Yer the freak here, ya damn bastard!" Berwald's fist made contact with Mathias' smirking face in a flash and sent him flying back. He was seeing red - he would not take the captain talking about the Reaper like that! "Yer sick, makin' him fight to the death when he didn't want to! It shoulda been you gettin' shot at and yer arm ripped off, not him!"

The North Sea King laughed hysterically at Berwald's insubordination. "Well if it's a fight ya want, dear Ber," He got up with a backflip, the bloodlust and mania in him rising. He pulled back the black gloves on his hands and readjusted his eye patch on his right side. Sending the other a toothy smile, he said "It's a fight yer gonna get! And maybe then I'll have my way with you; wouldn't that be lovely, hmm?"

"..."

Mathias stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the person coming up from behind Berwald. Or rather, he felt a murderous intent sent his way. "Ha? Up already, Reaper? Shoulda figured ya can sense a fight a mile away in your state..."

The Swede turned around to confirm that the "deadman" indeed stirred from his sleep, a rare scowl set on his face and the pair of fallen glasses in his hand.

"What are you doing?" His tone was accusing as he eyed his captain menacingly with livid violet orbs.

"Oh me and Ber here were just havin' some fun is all," The North Sea King answered casually, his body taking a defensive posture. It seemed like he no longer had the desire to fight against the aforementioned man. "No harm done, honest!"

The Reaper didn't buy the excuse for a second and narrowed his eyes as he said "If I catch you doing that again I'll-"

"Yeah, yeah," He brushed off his rifleman's threat, but all the same retreated to his cabin as quickly as he could without making it look like he was running with his tail between his legs. The Reaper might not kill him, but he was sure as hell he wasn't above getting maimed by the madman. Not wanting to become the next victim of his wrath, he figured fleeing to the safety of his room and out of the Finn's sight would be best. He knew better than to confront the Reaper in this state. _Damn him…_ In order to get the last laugh, he said "The debt ya owe me just doubled, Ber!"

 _There he goes again! That bastard!_

Berwald snarled. It was setback after setback! It wasn't fair! He wanted to chase after the infuriating captain and retaliate when the platinum blond beside him distracted him from his anger.

"How long has this been happening?"

The Reaper's tone towards him wasn't that different from the Dane and bloodlust still lingered in those violet irises as they bore into him. The taste of copper still lingered in his mouth. "S-Sorry...fer waking ya," He found himself looking away and shifting around a bit, much like a child getting caught and scolded. He decided to drop his whole issue with Mathias for now and focus on the platinum blond's condition, and so kept to himself in regards to the other's inquiry and sidestepped the question by suggesting "You should get more rest,"

"Hmm," The rifleman's expression softened when it was just the two of them in the hallway now. The urge to kill left him and he offered the Swede his glasses back. However, he avoided looking directly into cyan eyes and the blood on his lips and hand. He was still in no condition to be walking around the ship – he was still a threat to himself and others around him. "Okay, I will." The Reaper turned around and headed back to his room. But just before closing the door behind him, he said just loudly enough for only the other to hear in the hallway "Thank you for everything, Berwald."

That was enough to renew the blond's love for the Finn and his efforts to do everything in his power to ensure that the other gets well soon.

* * *

Berwald was more than willing to accept when he was asked to bring the Reaper his food during the afternoon. Feliciano discovered what he had done to help his friend and thanked him over and over again, grateful that he was so ready to come to the Reaper's aid. With a few pieces of advice from Ludwig on how to further proceed with treating the rifleman's wounds, the doctor trusted the blond when he offered to tend to the injuries, having full faith in his new apprentice. Both the chef and the doctor couldn't wait to get off this wretched island as well.

So there he was again in front of the man's door, knocking a few times and waiting outside until someone answered.

It took a while for the Reaper to respond and open the door. But when he did he was surprised someone was waiting on the other side the whole time, the bespectacled man standing there with tray in hand. "Oh, Berwald, I'm so sorry I kept you waiting like that!" His voice was light and pleasant, having calmed himself down a while ago. But Berwald's presence was beginning to baffle him again…normally the person to bring him his meal would just drop it off in front of his door and leave right after knocking.

"Can I come in?"

The request was unusual, but nonetheless the Reaper nodded and allowed Berwald to step foot inside his horrid room once more. _Does he want to keep me company?_ No, that wasn't it…he couldn't think like that.

The taller blond set the tray down on his cleaned desk, offering him to eat.

"Thank you, Berwald. You can go now if you want to; I'll bring the tray back to the kitchen myself," he tried giving the man a sad smile, but it didn't quite come out right. He still wasn't quite himself yet…he could feel it.

But Berwald shook his head, standing next to the bookshelf on the far side of the wall as he said "I'll wait. Gotta check yer injuries too," It was ironic that he should say that, seeing as though he didn't tend to his own blow to the jaw dealt by Mathias.

The sight of the taller man's blood made the Reaper shudder slightly, doing his best to suppress his urges. _Keep it together!_ "Y-You really don't have to, I'm sure you have better things to do..."

The stubborn Swede remained where he was and watched as the smaller male wolf down his lunch. He tried to be as subtle about it as he could, but more than once he caught the other's amethyst eyes look his way, gazing particularly at his jaw. He tugged the blue bandana tighter around his head and readjusted the beige coat on his shoulders to distract himself from that piercing gaze. So it came as a surprise when he heard the scraping of wood against the floorboard from the chair the Reaper was sitting in pushed out and a pair of hungry eyes suddenly right in front of him.

"You know," The Finn casually leaned against the taller man, successfully boxing him in between the bookshelf and his own body. "I worry about you, Berwald. You're not taking proper care of yourself,"

"…!" Berwald gulped, the wooden shelves digging into his spine uncomfortably at set intervals. He was trapped by bright, beguiling purple eyes. "Mm!" His breath caught in his throat when he felt the other tilt his jaw upward, a hand slowly massaging the area.

 _What are you doing?_

His body was not responding how he would like it to under the platinum blond's touch. The response was automatic and he didn't push the other away. There was absolutely zero resistance. "Ah…"

The Reaper had a nice view of the underside of that square jaw from where he was angled in front of the bespectacled man and smiled sweetly up at him. "Let me return the favor by helping you clean this wound up,"

"Ah!" Berwald shivered the moment the Reaper's hot tongue darted out and licked along the frame of his jaw to the corner of his mouth. "Oh…Rea-!"

"Hmm hmm," the smaller male chuckled in the back of his throat. The other's blood was like ambrosia and he couldn't get enough. It satiated his hunger better than the meal he just had.

"Ngh…" Berwald couldn't think straight when the man pressed up against him proceeded to lap up the dried and sticky blood off the side of his mouth and lips languidly. He had forgotten all about that small injury when caring for the other took priority. A small moan escaped his throat and his knees began to buckle as the Reaper devoured his mouth. He leaned desperately against the bookcase and grabbed onto its shelves despite how rigid it was against his back.

"You taste so good, Berwald." The Reaper savored the copper taste as he swiped his tongue lazily across those soft lips, delving into the inside of Berwald's mouth and along his gums to get every last drop of blood the man had to offer. His hands went up to hold that handsome face firmly in front of him when the other squirmed.

 _He isn't in his right mind now…_

Berwald kept telling himself that while the Reaper suckled on his swollen bottom lip. His eyes slipped closed before he even realized it, feeling that ravenous gaze still on him in the darkness. But no matter how heated and intimate this moment seemed, he couldn't take it seriously. He couldn't allow himself to hope.

When he finally had his fill and every drop of crimson was gone from the Swede, the Reaper pulled away, licking his own lips seductively to relish the metallic taste before it was gone.

Berwald was left a panting mess against the bookcase.

"…Oh no, I'm so sorry, Berwald!" And just like that, the Reaper reverted back to his kind and worrisome self. Shame and regret replaced hunger in those violet eyes now. "I uh…" he didn't dare approach the startled man. "I'm so sorry, I'll leave-"

"No…it's okay…"

"What?" Berwald wasn't making sense. After everything he has done to the innocent man…The taller blond didn't move from his spot. The Reaper didn't want to leave the other either. "Why?" Why go through so much trouble for his sake?

"I still need to check yer wounds," he managed to breathe out. Sooner than he thought, Berwald composed himself again and asked the Finn to sit on his bed so that he could start his examination.

"I'm sorry you have to put up with me…"

"It's okay, really," Berwald insisted. "I don't mind. It's not your fault,"

The Swede's voice seemed to have a calming effect on the rifleman and he closed his eyes to whatever it was the other had to do to patch him up.

The afternoon sun continued to shine through the window and settle in the peaceful and quiet room.

"Thank you, Berwald…thank you."

"You're welcome, Reaper."

 _You're very welcome_

* * *

Days passed and eventually the Draugen left Aurora Cove and its alluring waters behind it.

Due to his stunning performance, the Reaper was allowed to rest and recover from his injuries in peace. He didn't have to go on another bounty hunt for a while with all the money he raked in from helping the captain win his bet on the Deadman's Catwalk. The rifleman chose to spend this time mainly in his room. But he was always happy to see Berwald come in and visit often either to bring him food or check on his being when the other crew members were still afraid to look him in the eyes. The Swede would stay a while and they would talk about various, casual things, or the Finn would just silently watch Berwald do woodwork. The taller man's presence calmed and relaxed him greatly. Both his mind and body healed nicely. Soon enough, the burning light in his violet eyes faded and became dull again. He was back to his old self, his insanity locked up in its cage once more. It surprised the rifleman how he recovered quicker than usual from the bout of bloodlust, but he knew he had Berwald to thank for that. Timidly, he did express his gratitude towards the larger man for all that he's done.

The Reaper never mentioned what happened back at Aurora Cove to Berwald, nor did he ever explain his behavior, but the Swede had an idea and did not pry. He decided not to bring any of it up to the Finn, letting it go by like the rolling waves beneath them. Instead, Berwald was just glad he could help the other. He felt special, knowing that he was the only one to get this close to the Reaper while he was in this state. Days turned into weeks and by a couple of months, the two became close companions. The platinum blond would often help him with his chores and go into town with him if it was safe enough. Berwald did not object to this at all, enjoying the other's company just as much as the other enjoyed his. As long as he could be by the Reaper's side and see him smile, even if it was a sad one, it was enough.


	21. Grande Amore

**Song Title: Grande Amore (Great Love)** by **Il Volo**

* * *

"Ve, ve, so is it true that ReeRee really did beat all those guys on the Deadman's Catwalk all by himself with his hands tied?!"

"Uhn…sort of…"

Even though it has been some time since that event at Aurora Cove, the rifleman's murderous deeds were still the gossip and hot topic on the Draugen.

The memories were still fresh in Berwald's mind, but he felt comfortable enough to talk about it now.

The chef's brown eyes widened in awe at the feat. "That's amazing! He sure is strong!" Feliciano continued to stir the contents in the pot he was hovering over. He was always glad when the Swede came by to help them in the kitchen. Even though majority of the crew were out in the town they just anchored at after successfully smuggling in some goods, having the taller man's company was always welcomed. It was while he was here that the chef let his curiosity get the better of him and asked "But Ber, what do you think of ReeRee?"

Berwald stilled in preparing the silver trays for the food to be served on. He could feel some heat rising to his cheeks at the question, his mind reeling with so many ways to describe the rifleman.

 _I think he's amazing! He's the most talented and beautiful man across the seven seas! I think he's kind and thoughtful…and all things wonderful…gentle, forgiving…a complete angel! I love him…so much…_

"Are you two best friends now?"

The taller male still couldn't quite answer that with confidence. He didn't know.

"Ah well, I was worried because it sounded like you two were fighting in ReeRee's room one night. I heard screaming, so you guys must've been really angry about something…"

"…?"

"After that night, things looked kind of awkward between you two…like you were avoiding each other or something," Feliciano mused.

"When was this?" He suddenly became very incredulous.

 _Is he talking about what happened at Aurora Cove? No, that can't be it…_

Try as he might, Berwald couldn't remember a night or day in which he ever got into a legitimate argument with the Finn.

The chef crossed his arms and scrunched his thin brows in thought, trying to remember. "Umm, it was a while ago…" He tapped his chin with his index finger. "Oh! I don't remember when, but we were docked at the town with that famous bar! Me and Ludwig left early though…it was…ve…" he chewed on his bottom lip. "The Siren's Saloon…yeah!" He beamed at this little victory as pieces of his memory came together. He looked towards his taller companion as he continued "Mhm, I heard you and ReeRee stumble back on the ship after going to that place."

 **Crash!**

Berwald's eyes widened to the size of the plate he just dropped, his blood running cold.

Based on the bespectacled man's grim reaction, even the air-headed Feliciano knew when he had crossed the line. He slapped a hand over his mouth as if he had just said something he shouldn't have…revealed a secret or dark subject matter of some sort and he quickly apologized. "V-Ve, but recently that's changed! You're close now…right? Um, I shouldn't have said anything, I'm sorry!" Berwald's silent treatment and intimidating gaze sent the poor Italian scampering away to tend to something else and find Ludwig.

This left the Swede by himself in this area of the kitchen and utterly troubled by the new bit of information. The Siren's Saloon…that was where he picked up his one-night stand! He was too shocked to be embarrassed over the fact that someone had heard him in bed. It couldn't possibly be that he…and the Reaper…

 _What did I say to get him into bed with me?_

No, no, no! That wasn't what he should be concerning himself with! Why didn't the Reaper tell him the truth? Why was he hiding this incident between them? What did he say to the Reaper when he was drunk? Was he that insignificant to the man that he wasn't worth mentioning the morning after…? They already had such a delicate relationship…so why was the Finn acting as though none of this ever happened?

Berwald couldn't wrap his head around it and found the ship to be swaying more than usual.

* * *

That night, the Swede brought dinner to the man in question personally, determined to get to the bottom of it all. He knocked and let himself in once he got approval from the other side. "Dinner's ready," he said briskly and set the tray down on the man's desk.

"Oh, wonderful," the Reaper gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Berwald, you really didn't have to do that though," He set his book down on the bed that he was reading by the lamplight resting on the corner of his desk.

"Need to talk to ya," Berwald grunted, closing the door behind him.

The Finn tilted his head curiously at the other's strained tone. "Oh, okay then, but can it wait until after dinner? You must be starving too-"

"No."

This caught the Reaper by surprise, but he got the message and motioned for his guest to have a seat on the chair next to his desk. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" His voice was laced with concern.

Berwald had a whole script in his head, but all of it went out the window the moment he gazed into those violet eyes. So he just ended up saying "That night at the Siren's Saloon…you took me back," He didn't mean to sound so accusing, but he was having a hard time controlling his voice from all the emotions he was feeling right now. "What really happened that night?"

The rifleman fell silent for a moment, deep in thought. There was no point in lying any further. With a deep breath, he answered honestly "That night you were drinking a lot, and kept staring at me…I could feel it from across the bar. I was worried, so I came over to you to see how you were doing when you offered yourself to me." He bit his bottom lip shamefully, unaware of how red the other was becoming. "I wasn't very sharp myself and took you up on your offer…" he dared to look Berwald in the eyes. "You asked me for my real name and told me you loved me," The Finn could no longer hold his gaze and averted his eyes then. "I'm sure you know the rest…"

The taller man was dying from embarrassment. Really?! He went that far and said all that?!

 _Oh gods, kill me now!_

In order to fill the heavy and awkward silence in the room, he asked breathily "Why…why didn't you tell me?"

The man sitting on the edge of the black bed shrugged. "You didn't remember any of it the next morning. I thought you'd prefer it that way,"

Berwald was upset with himself and the other man at the same time. He forgot that he slept with his beloved! Yet, the platinum blond hid it from him this whole time...His face was burning from a range of emotions. The room was now clean of blood, so why was it so hard to breathe in it still?

"…We're men…we feel lonely after being out at sea for so long…I understand," the Reaper offered. "I didn't want you to feel regretful and so didn't bring up anything that would be unpleasant."

But it was too late for that now. Berwald already regretted and tore himself up over and over again when he thought he had slept with another and betrayed the man he loved. It was too late…his heart was already ripped open and on the brink of turning into a minced mess on the floor with how this conversation was going.

"It's okay, I'm sure you didn't mean what you said and did that night," The Finn tried to smile, but it came out half-hearted. "You were probably thinking of someone else or just seeking company that night...It's fine…"

"It wasn't a mistake."

"Huh?"

"I wasn't thinkin' of another...I wanted you," The words flew out of his mouth before he could catch them in his throat. The feelings bottled up inside of him were at their breaking point and spilled forth with this overflow of emotions. "I meant what I said back then,"

Now it was the Reaper's turn to become mute. He refused to take Berwald's confession of love seriously.

"Why? Because of what I did in the past?" Berwald suddenly got defensive. He knew it, how could anybody possibly love a whore? The Reaper could have someone so much better than him. The thought hurt and he could feel his cheeks flare.

But the Reaper calmly and quickly replied "No, not at all. I never thought of you that way. It's because others have told me that before..." He smiled sadly as he continued "You don't have to seduce me or anything, there's no need for that - I will still help you earn your freedom regardless."

 _This isn't about that!_

The blond was seething, gritting his teeth. "Why...?"

"Hm?"

"Why d'ya agree, then?" Berwald knew he wasn't being fair here, almost childish with the way he was demanding everything from the Reaper. But he felt betrayed, the other knowing how he felt for the longest time but not saying or doing anything about it. He left him to internally angst and now he wasn't taking him seriously. The platinum blond could be ridiculously cruel at times.

The Reaper didn't answer him for the longest time, those eyes despondent. "Why indeed…" he whispered.

At this point Berwald almost wanted to hit the other...to elicit some sort of reaction and emotion from him that was different than his default mournful one.

 _Does he feel nothing else?!_

"Why d'ya do any of these things you do?" he spat, losing his patience with the Finn. He was upset and just lashing out at him at this point. "Why did ya even bring me aboard in the first place?!"

This was something the rifleman was able to answer. "That day on the ship, as I saw you struggle, I saw the fire in your eyes - the burning will to live and continue fighting. It was something that caught my attention; us 'deadmen' tend to be attracted to the things we once had," His hand tentatively reached for Berwald's cheek, peering into those bright cyan eyes. "They hold so much promise. You have so much potential to be so much more. It was then that I decided that I would help you towards a better future away from here - a future I can never have," He sighed heavily. "I swore to myself that I would at least do that much."

"Do you really care about me that much?" Berwald questioned, daring to hope against hope.

The Reaper caught himself after his declaration and looked down, pulling his hand away from the other's face. "What I feel doesn't matter..."

Berwald caught the hand lingering on his cheek and held it there. "It does."

"Berwald," he started slowly. "You don't love me, or at least you shouldn't. I'm sure you're just confused,"

"I thought that too, but I know I'm not." He had plenty of time sorting those feelings out, and no matter how he arranged them, they all gave him the same concensus – one that he accepted willingly now with open arms. "I didn't trust ya before…" he admitted to the other. "Thought you were gonna trick me like the captain and make me stay...but…" It was getting hard to speak and form words because his mouth felt like it was full of cotton under the Reaper's violet gaze. He clasped onto the warm hand on his cheek for support. "Yer nothin' like him. You're kind and patient…ya treat me like I'm actually a human being…you protect and respect me. My feelings changed into somethin' so much more because of your actions,"

The Finn audibly sucked in a breath, his eyes wide with disbelief and sorrow. He was conflicted and the hand on Berwald's cheek twitched. "But you've seen…!" he paused. "No, I don't want to harm you in any way. I might lose control again like last time…I'm a freak, a monster!" He scrunched his eyes closed, bringing his other hand up to hide his face.

Berwald turned to the side to kiss the palm resting on his face. "You won't...and yer not," he said gently and with certainty. The Swede has been through it before and lived. He didn't care if his life was in danger from the hands of his beloved. "I wanna be there for you when yer fallin' apart. Back at Aurora Cove…" he frowned. "I wanted to reach out to you; I don't want to see you suffer like that ever again!"

"You will have no future if you continue to love me," the platinum blond said weakly, shaking his head.

"I didn't have a future until I met you,"

Those words visibly struck the Reaper, tearing him apart. His empty hand remained as a fist on his lap, head down and refusing to look Berwald in the eyes. "You'll regret this. I don't want to make you suffer more than you already have,"

"My only regret is that I didn't tell ya sooner," Berwald leaned in closer to the man on the bed until he was practically standing up from his chair. "I love you, Tino."

The name came to him like a herald sent from the heavens, descending from his lips as lightly as fallen feathers. The memory of that night formed anew in his head – he remembered removing the morbid mask from that angelic face and the tender way Tino treated him.

Tino looked up at Berwald then, the sound of his own name from that beautiful voice pulling him in like a siren's call.

The taller blond fully got up from his seat and closed the small distance between them, capturing the other's lips with his own. Berwald pressed against Tino with much fervor, hoping that he would reciprocate the kiss and his feelings.

"…"

The other pair of lips remained unmoving and the Swede was about to give up, heartbroken when all of a sudden the rifleman's self-restraint broke and he felt the hand that caressed his cheek wrap around his neck, pulling him in closer to hungrily deepen the kiss. He returned the hold by clutching his arms around the smaller male's strong shoulders.

Tino's other arm coiled around Berwald's waist to bring him down to sit on his lap, resulting in the larger man straddling him, his legs folded and pressed against his thighs on the mattress, squeezing tightly.

Berwald moaned into the passionate kiss, moving his lips with Tino's, tongue brazenly meeting its partner and tangling in each other's mouths in an exhilarating dance. His head was becoming light, lost in the feeling while his body remained anchored to the Finn's lap. He didn't even notice that his vision was skewed by the fact that his glasses were now lopsided on his face.

When their melded lips finally broke apart for much-needed air, Tino pushed the wired frames back neatly onto Berwald's flushed face. "Hmm, you know, in the beginning I was assigned to keep an eye on you in case you tried to run away…I thought you looked intimidating," he smiled abashedly. "But I quickly realized that I was wrong – you have a heart of gold, Berwald. You're so caring…you even talked to me and showed me compassion," he sighed longingly. "You came to me even though I was at my worst…when many others wouldn't even dare to look at me for days,"

Berwald leaned into the other's hand that was brushing the back of his neck soothingly, never taking his eyes off the platinum blond. He hoped the other would never let him go.

"At first, I only wanted to protect you and help you escape…I didn't want you to turn into someone like me. But I didn't know when my intents became something more," Tino admitted. "You make me feel…alive again," he gave the man on his lap a sad smile. "When I'm with you, sometimes I can hear my own heart beat," He placed a hand over his chest as if it was a foreign thing and chuckled. "It's a sound I haven't heard in a long time…it's...nice," he peered at the Swede guiltily then. "I don't deserve you, Berwald," he said and released his grip on the man's waist. "Can you really love the Reaper?"

"I love the man in front of me, Tino," Berwald replied readily, arms resting on the platinum blond's shoulders.

Tino let out a shaky breath. "Well, he loves you more than you know,"

Berwald captured those lips again with his own the moment they uttered the words he'd been dying to hear. He remained on Tino's lap, pressing himself up as physically close to the other as possible. "Maybe he should show me, then," he whispered invitingly into the Finn's ear. He felt the other flinch at what his words implied.

"Are you certain about this? You don't have to force yourself,"

"I am. I want it…I want you," He wanted to do this right. He has never felt it stronger in him than now in his whole life. He wasn't being coerced or bought – he was doing this of his own free will. It was such a wonderful and liberating feeling.

Tino pecked him on the lips and removed his glasses for him before placing them on the desk next to the abandoned meal tray. "As you wish, Berwald."

"Ahh!" The Swede found himself gently rolled onto his back on the black bed. They held their previous position from when they were still sitting up, Berwald's legs wrapped tightly around Tino's waist. He squirmed as his lover took his time kissing down his jaw towards his neck that was covered by his black undershirt.

Tino found the clothing to be obstructive and made quick work to remedy the problem. However, he got a little carried away and soon all articles of Berwald's clothing were stripped from him - coat, boots, bandana and all. "You're so beautiful, Berwald." He leaned down and gave that taut neck a long lick, tasting the supple flesh there.

Berwald's breath hitched and he craned his head to the side to give the Finn more access, wanting to be ravished by the rifleman. His eyes slipped closed and hand came up to caress the back of his beloved's head, keeping the other's hot mouth near the crook of his neck. "Tino…!" He called out as warm, calloused hands roamed across his naked body, stroking his skin and making him pant.

"Hm?" Tino slowed in his coddling when he felt a furtive tugging on the hem of his black long coat. Understanding the silent request, he removed himself from his lover for a moment, peeling off his tattered long coat, scarf, and undershirt. The articles of clothing fell to the floor to join Berwald's.

As the man took off the rest of his clothes in a tantalizing manner, Berwald saw the strong, toned body beneath. Cyan eyes ran over the pale skin marred with scars from chest to legs.

Tino felt the other's piercing gaze, saying "I'm not as perfect as you are, I'm afraid." But he was quickly proven wrong the moment he crawled onto the bed again, Berwald pulling him in close so that he could kiss the scars. "Mmn, Berwald…"

The Swede let his actions speak for him, a hand going up to caress the damaged skin appreciatively, lovingly tracing the jagged lines on that perfect body. He only stopped worshipping Tino's form when a hand pulled him up to meet thin lips. "Uhn," Violet eyes held him in a trance and he was once again pampered by the other.

"Simply perfect," Tino got back to exploring the taller man's body with his tongue.

"Tino…ah!" Hands and tongue ravaged Berwald in a tidal wave of pleasure. This sort of treatment was something he wasn't used to, as it was usually his job to do the pleasuring. It was a very nice and welcomed change, and he hoped to be spoiled and experience it more often.

Even though it felt like the first time for Berwald, it became apparent that the other has touched him before. Tino knew all of his sweet spots and spent more of his time and effort there. The Finn's mouth kissed the skin of his neck and made his way down to run his tongue over his sensitive right nipple, while a hand snaked around to caress the small of his back. "Yah…ahhh ha!" The blond had no idea when the other went off and grabbed his vial of oil from the desk, but he soon felt a slick finger running down his backside.

Tino saw the larger blond's chest heaving in staggering breaths beneath him and couldn't help but marvel at the man. "Relax, Berwald," he cooed as he pressed his index finger into his beloved's tight entrance.

"Mmph!" Berwald bit down on the blanket under him in order to keep his voice down. The other's finger worming inside him caused his body to convulse in pleasure and mind to go blank for a moment.

"No no, don't do that, Berwald," Tino softly encouraged him to let his voice out, lowering himself in between the man's long legs to kiss the smooth skin of his inner thighs. The hand not busy fingering the Swede held his hip securely. "Let me hear you,"

"Mmn! Guh…ahhh AHH!" Berwald's eyes flew shut and he arched his back when he felt the other's hot mouth closed around his arousal while his finger remained curled inside him. "Tino!" Soft lips wrapped around his cock and an agile tongue ran along the hard length. His hands frantically went down to grab onto platinum blond hair. "Nghn!"

Tino remained attentive to his lover's reaction and needs, pleasuring him thoroughly. When he felt Berwald was ready, he inserted a second finger in order to open the man up, never ceasing to lick and suck on his arousal.

Berwald couldn't see straight, losing control of his voice and body. "Yes…ah! Tino!" He writhed wildly on the bed, toes curling into the sheets from being pleasured both inside and out. He screamed wantonly when Tino twisted his fingers inside of him in all the right places and his tongue glided over the slit of his cock. It took all his effort to keep his legs spread nicely and not wrap them around the Finn's head.

"Your moans are as sweet as ever, Berwald," Tino commented lovingly, adding a third finger into that tight heat.

The taller blond could only whimper in return. He was finding himself being undone fast with the way the rifleman was touching him. But there was still something missing…"Please…" He couldn't take it anymore, he was so close! "I need you!" He nearly begged of the other to complete him, to make him whole.

Tino slowly withdrew his fingers and pulled himself up to meet his lover's face.

Berwald greeted him with an open-mouth kiss, tasting himself in the process that only served to arouse him even further. "Tino…" He bucked his hips against the other male as he peered into vibrant violet eyes imploringly.

"Okay," Truth be told, he couldn't restrain himself much longer anyway. He settled in between Berwald's legs, pushing himself into that inviting heat as slowly as possible and giving the other ample time to adjust. Tino draped himself over the larger man, arms bent and resting on either side of his beloved's head against the cushion of the black bed. He lowered his head to kiss that sweaty brow. The lamplight provided a nice glow to that flushed face and skin before him, highlighting those beautiful blue-green eyes looking longingly up at him. He heard Berwald sigh contently and the Finn himself couldn't help but close his eyes when he was fully sheathed inside the other. "Oh Berwald...ngh," he groaned out. The Swede was so tight and hot, pulling him in and holding him there.

 _So good..._

Berwald slowly closed his legs around Tino's waist and wound his arms around the other's shoulders once more, pulling him down so that their foreheads touched. They were finally one and connected, their love manifested in this moment. It was pure; there was no alcohol to fog his memory and ruin what they have between them. This was real, it was happening before the blond and his heart nearly bursted with joy from the realization. Cyan locked with violet, smiles and kisses were exchanged as they both felt the hole in their hearts filled and healed by the other.

Heavy breathing and sweet nothings were heard from both parties in the room before Berwald nodded his head and gave his consent for Tino to move.

"Ah...hgn...Tino!" Discomfort quickly ebbed away into pleasure and Berwald let himself go, allowing himself to enjoy this unfiltered pleasure without shame or regret. "Yah!" It didn't take long for Tino to find his prostate and he held onto his beloved for dear life. He was trying his best to hold the other's gaze, but it was becoming difficult with how fast Tino was thrusting into him and hitting that sensitive spot inside over and over again. His body was melting. Despite working at a brothel for most of his life, Berwald has never felt this good before and had no idea this kind of pleasure even existed. "AHH!" Throwing his head back, he sunk his nails into the platinum blond's back at a particularly hard and angled thrust.

Tino was drowning in pleasure, Berwald squeezing him lovingly in all the right ways and moaning his name into his ear. He hissed slightly when those nails raked across his back, leaving fresh scarlet marks on his skin. But he didn't mind if these got added to his collection of scars – they were from Berwald. Anything given to him from that man was greatly received and admittedly, the scratching on his back aroused him. The passion was becoming too much. "I love you, Berwald." he whispered into his beloved's ear, kissing it lightly.

When he looked into Tino's eyes, he caught a light shining through the dullness of those purple irises. It was the last thing he saw before his own eyes screwed shut and he only saw white from his own orgasm. Berwald came hard from those spoken words, letting out a long cry of sheer pleasure before arching into the other and spilling his seed over both their stomachs. "Love you…Tino!"

The taller blond's inner walls were tightening around him, and Tino soon followed the other over the edge of ecstasy with a groan into the man's neck. He came deeply inside Berwald, shallowly thrusting in order to ride out both their orgasms to the fullest before he could no longer hold himself up and collapsed into awaiting arms.

A sudden calm settled inside the room and the two simply held each other while catching their breaths, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

But after some time has passed, Tino begrudgingly raised himself up from Berwald's warm embrace and kissed him softly on the lips. "You must be hungry, let me get you your dinner," He smiled at the other and was about to pull out when those strong legs remained clamped around his waist and refused to let him go.

Berwald shook his head when the rifleman looked at him curiously. "Stay," he insisted, his voice hoarse. "Stay inside me until morning…so that I'll know it wasn't all a dream."

Tino couldn't help but smile fondly at the man before him and obliged him eagerly.

Repositioning themselves on the bed so that Tino was sitting up and leaning on the headboard with Berwald straddled on top of him, they made themselves comfortable while still being connected and split the single cold dinner on the tray happily. At first Berwald was afraid he was too heavy to be sitting on top of the smaller man, but a hand securely wrapped around his waist begged to disagree. They took turns feeding each other with the single set of utensils and followed it up with a sweet kiss on the lips before switching off.

As they ate, Berwald traced his fingers along the myriad of scars before him and wondered about their origins. He smiled when his beloved satiated his curiosity and told him, elated that Tino was more than willing to share this with him. It felt so nice to be heard and have someone care about his thoughts and feelings. "What about this one?" He lightly caressed the area on Tino's upper arm.

"Hmm, I believe that was from when we were attacked near Tortuga," he hummed as the man on his lap proceeded to kiss the old wound.

"And this one?" Berwald reached for the other's left hand and pecked the top of his beloved's ring finger.

"That...was from accidentally cutting myself with a knife in the kitchen," Tino admitted with a chuckle. "There's a reason why I'm not allowed to help over there anymore,"

Berwald couldn't help but chuckle along with him, giving the finger another kiss.

On one particular exchange of their meal, some of the soup spilled from the spoon and onto Berwald's chest.

"I'll get it," Tino offered lewdly, leaning forward into that toned chest and licking his lips before sticking out his tongue to lap the mess off his lover's body. Although the soup that dribbled down the other's sweat-soaked skin was long gone, his mouth still lingered on the Swede's heated body.

Berwald sucked in a breath, squirming under the ministration while trying not to drop the food items in his hands. But two could play at that game, and so while the other was distracted, he flicked some of the soup from the spoon onto Tino's shoulder.

"Oh my," the Finn smirked, meeting Berwald's playful gaze. "Looks like I'm the one who needs cleaning now,"

"Already on it," Berwald leaned forward to leave butterfly kisses on the pale skin, tasting the salt of the other's sweat and tomato based soup they were eating on his tongue. He eventually made his way inward from Tino's shoulder to the crook of his neck, along his jaw and up to his cheek where he finally rested on the other's lips. Throughout it all, he smiled when Tino's hand came up to card through his blond hair and hummed his appreciation.

"You're so cute, Ber," Tino giggled, using the other's common nickname.

"I like it when you call me that," the Swede nuzzled into his cheek. "I think it's cute,"

"Aww come here you," Just as the larger male set the empty bowl of soup back down on the desk, the rifleman grabbed Berwald by the face gently and drew him in so that their lips could meet one another.

Before they knew it, both were aroused again.

"Nhgh..." Berwald could feel Tino getting bigger inside of him, stretching and filling him. He took the initiative and raised his hips before impaling himself onto the platinum blond's cock. "Ahh!" The other was able to penetrate and go so much deeper inside him in this position. He wanted more, splaying his hands on the toned body beneath him to keep balance.

"Amazing, Ber…" Tino groaned out as the taller blond rode him hard, the man offering him a magnificent view of that face in utter pleasure and sculpted body bouncing up and down on top of him. Those muscular thighs rippled with exertion, spread wide to reveal the other's hard cock dripping with precum. Berwald was so tight around him, his voice octaves higher from his previous orgasm as he sung his name in pleasure. "So good,"

Berwald was losing control of his body again, his pace erratic and thighs burning from the strenuous activity. But he kept going, rolling his hips and angling himself so that Tino could hit the bundle of nerves inside him once again. He screamed towards the heavens when his body received what it craved, his head lolling back. He felt strong hands on his hips guiding him to that spot again and a powerful thrust meeting him halfway to send him into a state of rapture. "Tino!"

The Finn roamed a hand over twitching muscles in front of him before settling on the other's groin and curling his fingers around his pulsing flesh, stroking him vigorously.

"Ngah!" Berwald's climax hit him before he knew it and he saw stars for the second time that night. He felt Tino come soon after him, his hands lifting his trembling hips up and down a few more times before the rifleman's essence filled him to the brim and started to dribble out from his backside. The squelching sound and feeling as it did so made him moan wantonly. "Feels so good..."

"Delicious," Tino remarked, picking up the fresh spent off both their bodies with his finger before licking the digit clean. He leaned forward into those outstretched arms and kissed their owner's precious face.

Utterly spent, Berwald leaned in close to the platinum blond's chest, hearing his heart beat fast, fingers ghosting over the spot with a large scar on it and content in the fact that he made the other feel this way and vice versa. "You're not a monster; you still have a heart…so never think otherwise, Tino."

"Yes, and it beats for you, Berwald."

They rolled onto their sides, still facing each other and connected as they pulled the black covers over their naked bodies as best they could to settle in for the night. Pressed up together chest to chest, Berwald swung his leg over Tino and hooked it around his waist to make their position more comfortable. Both men were on the brink of sleep, its tendrils pulling them slowly into unconsciousness.

"My room is your room now," Tino whispered to him, stroking that loving face affectionately. "You can visit and stay here whenever and however long you want."

"Mm." Berwald leaned into the Finn's touch, embracing the other and holding him there, kissing his scalp and breathing in his scent. The feeling of his beloved still inside him reassured him. "I will." He would stay here forever if he could.

Everything was so wonderful and perfect.

The taller male was sure he was going to be seeing those black walls and sleeping on this bed more often, every day if he could. He heard his lover sigh contently next to him.

"Goodnight, Berwald. I'll see you again in the morning," A soft and genuine smile graced Tino's lips as he said "I love you."

Berwald's heart melted and he suddenly couldn't form proper sentences anymore. "Unh, g'night…tomorrow, love ya too!"

Tino's light giggle was the last thing the room heard before all was quiet and steady.

The two remained as one for the whole night, falling asleep in each other's arms.

It was the best sleep either of them has ever had.


	22. I Follow Rivers

**Song Title: I Follow Rivers** by **Lykke Li**

* * *

The days on the Draugen did not seem as miserable and unpleasant as before now that Berwald knew he was loved. And it wasn't just anybody who loved him, but the Reaper himself, Tino…the man who owned his heart, body, and soul without even realizing it.

Tino had stopped sneaking gold coins under his pillow after he requested it one last time, relenting when he said that he would earn it slowly and on his own. Berwald didn't mind all too much over the matter anymore - he had time. The amount he saved was stowed away in Tino's chest along with his other belongings.

He also quickly made amends with Feliciano, who seemed like he was walking on eggshells around him ever since he revealed his and Tino's first night together. But Berwald made sure to apologize and thank the chef for what he's done. The Italian seemed to understand and quickly forgave him, glad that they were friends again. When Peter and Erland badgered him to play with them, he gladly abandoned his current chore to entertain them. And when it came to assisting Ludwig in the infirmary, he was much more diligent and attentive in his work.

He even tried to be more agreeable with the captain.

The Swede was in better spirits than usual and dutifully carried out his daily tasks no matter how menial they may seem. His life as a pirate was suddenly painted in rosy colors, romanticized like the stories told in crowded bars and saloons.

Finally, after so long, something good happened in his life.

They were currently docked in a small town to resupply and the rifleman was given a new bounty to hunt down. Berwald quickly finished his chores and snuck into his beloved's room when no one was looking and waited for his return there. He just knew the man would come back today.

In order to keep their relationship a secret from all the other members of the ship, Berwald would pretend to sleep on his cot each night and only snuck off into Tino's room when it was late and everyone else in the sleeping quarters was snoring. And there he would stay in the rifleman's bed until morning, making it as though he rose before all the rest to begin the day early.

But for the past few days the black bed has been cold and empty with just him sleeping in it, its scent always succeeding in making Berwald yearn for the other. Sitting in the wooden chair next to the desk, he decided to occupy himself with a book from Tino's collection, the morbid words not really registering as he anxiously waited. He was just finished rereading a sentence in the first chapter when the door to the room clicked open and revealed a dark figure with a skull for a face.

A weary Tino returned from his hunt to find a certain blond in his room with open arms. And then everything was made right. Apparently, Berwald was reading a book but immediately abandoned it and sprang from his seat to greet him. "Berwald!" He quickly closed the door behind him and allowed the other to come up to him, reverently remove his mask, and give him the sweetest kiss he's ever had in a couple of days.

"Are ya hurt, Tino?" he mumbled against the other's lips. Although he addressed the rifleman as "Reaper" in public, behind closed doors and in private he had the luxury of calling the man by his real name. He continued to hold the warm body against his chest, relieved and so elated to see his beloved again.

"Just a bit; I tried to finish the job as quickly as possible to come back to you sooner…but the rush got me nicked a little," Tino nuzzled endearingly against Berwald's cheek. He gave another kiss to those lips and smiled up at his lover before asking "It's not too bad, but do you think you can fix me up?"

Berwald leaned down and pecked the man on the lips. "Ya didn't even have to ask," He swung the smaller male lightly around in his arms before they both sat on the bed. He then reached for his medical supplies on the desk while Tino took off his tattered black long coat to make his job easier.

"Anything exciting happened while I was gone?" Tino struck up a conversation while the taller blond devoutly cleaned and bandaged the small scratches on his right arm.

"No, not really. Feli mentioned that we were running low on coffee though…and Peter and Erland are gettin' better at tying me up and makin' me walk the plank,"

"Seems like those two are growing stronger every day,"

The sound of Tino's laughter made Berwald's heart flutter and he couldn't help but smile while treating the man's wounds. Soft lips kissed his ear as he put the finishing touches on the bandage.

"You look so cute when you smile like that, Ber. You should do it more often,"

"Only if I get to hear ya laugh more often," he bargained.

Tino hummed his agreement, smiling against his beloved's flushed ear. "And what about you? How are you feeling, Ber?"

Berwald brought the bandaged arm to his lips and kissed it tenderly before holding onto it between both hands. "I missed you," he said aloud and without hesitation. The Finn embraced him and pulled so that they were both lying down on the bed now.

"I missed you too, I'm sorry," He held onto the larger man comfortingly, resting his head on the bespectacled blond's arm like a pillow and burying his face into the soft material of his black undershirt and beige coat. "But I'm here now." He sighed and closed his eyes, feeling the other relax from his words and hands that went around to stroke along his strong back. The motion always seemed to calm the Swede. "I'm…sleepy…Are you tired too, Ber?"

"Mnh." He hasn't been sleeping properly since the rifleman got off the ship, getting no rest from constantly worrying over his safety. But at last he has the man back in his arms. "Rest now," Berwald leaned down to kiss Tino's scalp.

"The town is very pretty," the platinum blond commented, voice muffled a bit by the other's chest. "Have you ever been there before?" When he felt his beloved shake his head and grunt, he suggested "We should go out and see it together later on tonight if you want to. They even have a sauna in one of the inns,"

"I'd like that." Wherever Tino wanted to go, Berwald would follow.

As the afternoon sun continued to filter through the window next to them in the room, the two slept easily on the bed together until dusk.

* * *

It wasn't long before the Draugen set sail to continue its reign of piracy. Terrorizing ships both big and small, fighting against other pirates and mariners for infamy and gold, all of this was background noise to Berwald. He didn't care for any of that. That was the rest of the crew's dream, not his. What he did care for was spending time with Tino.

The captain of the ship thought it was high time to reward his men…not that he ever needed an excuse to have fun. The Dane liked to indulge himself as well.

They were near a familiar town and it just so happened that it was around the time of the year for this town to be holding its annual festival. The event was renowned on this side of the sea, attracting tourists far and wide to its humble shores. The infamous crew could easily remain anonymous among the large crowd. Not one to pass up such a grand opportunity, the North Sea King ordered that they set course for the town, anchor there, and have a good time. Everyone was allowed off the Draugen to enjoy this event except for the unlucky group who would have to guard the ship in order to prevent it from being stolen or robbed.

That unlucky person was the Reaper.

It was the rifleman's turn to watch the ship and the captain was confident that he was more than enough to carry out this duty by his lonesome. In fact, it was because he could handle it himself rather than have a whole group of other crewmates that Mathias thought this was the fairest way to share the responsibility. Like the saying went, the more the merrier. Plus, the fact that the Finn didn't seem to mind all that much about being left behind further justified the blond captain's decision and eased the guilt in the three brothers' hearts.

Berwald thought it was outright unfair.

"Don't worry, Berwald," Tino assured him, giving him a sad smile.

The Draugen landed in mid-morning and its crew members poured onto the wooden boardwalk, heading into town where the festivity was already in full swing. Even the milder crew members such as Feliciano and Ludwig took this opportunity to leave the ship and enjoy themselves.

"C'mon, Ber!" Peter tugged on the end of the Swede's beige coat. "We're gonna miss out if ya keep standin' there!"

"You should go out and have fun," the Reaper said encouragingly. "This is a rare occasion."

But the taller blond shook his head, looking down at the young pirate apologetically. "I'm not feelin' well. You and Erland go on ahead,"

"Ya don't look sick…" Peter peered up at Berwald with skeptical blue eyes. His larger companion looked just fine, even better than usual if he dared say so himself.

"Ha! I always knew you're a wimp," Erland smirked. "Let's go, Peter, we can have fun without him," Giving the bespectacled man a teasing face, he scuttled off the deck with the young blond hesitantly following after him.

"We'll bring ya back somethin'!" Peter yelled back.

"No we won't!"

Tino chuckled as he waved after the two small figures. "Is Erland always so abrasive with you?"

"…Sometimes," Berwald rolled his shoulder.

"I think it's adorable that you spoil them," he turned to face the blond. "But are you sure you don't want to go? Are you that unwell?"

Feeling bolder now that no one was left on the ship except for the two of them, Berwald came up to the smaller man and wound his arms around him, kissing those thin lips lightly. "There's no point in goin' if yer not there with me,"

"I'm sorry for holding you back…it really does look like fun over there," Tino smiled at him sadly.

"Don't be." Another smooch and Berwald felt the other relax in his arms, leaning into him.

The two stayed on the deck along the rails facing the town. From where they were standing, they could see the colorful banners strung up between buildings above the distant streets and hear the music of the festivities. The sound of wind and string instruments came together and was enriched with laughter from the attendees.

"It's all so beautiful," Tino commented to no one in particular.

Although the rifleman said he was fine with it, Berwald knew that Tino wanted to be there in town with the rest of the crew and enjoy the event. It showed in those dull eyes and the sunken tone of his voice despite the other's best efforts to hide it. He had to do something to lighten the Finn up...it was making him upset as well.

It was then that he held his black gloved hand out to Tino and bowed. "May I have this dance?" He peered at wide violet eyes with his own cyan ones behind wire-rimmed glasses.

"Huh? I uhh…"

"We can still enjoy it from here, can't we?" Berwald smiled endearingly when Tino took his offered hand even though he looked confused, pulling the other closer so that he could wrap an arm around the smaller man's waist.

"Well, I would…but I don't know how to dance," he chuckled shyly. "It's been so long…"

"That's okay, I'll teach ya," Berwald had to admit, he felt a bit proud and amused in the fact that he knew how to do something the other didn't, and was teaching him instead of the other way around. Who'd knew that what he learned back at the orphanage from watching fellow children practice around him would be useful?

"Okay, so how do I…? Like this?"

Although not as refined as Lukas was when it came to these kinds of things, Berwald did his best to recall the steps and teach his beloved how to do a basic waltz. Having no choice but to take the lead, he held and guided the other's feet and arms in the right position. He couldn't help but smile when the other stumbled.

"I don't get it…so do I move back or you? When do I pause?"

 _So cute!_ Berwald couldn't help but think when he saw how clumsy the rifleman was, his tongue sticking out a bit in concentration.

Tino may be graceful on the battlefield, but not here. He was being so careful with his footwork but still managed to stomp, kick, and smash his partner's toes from time to time.

Sometimes the platinum blond would run into him on accident, his face in his chest or knees knocking into each other, but Berwald enjoyed the contact and having the other man so close to him. "It's okay, you're doin' great," he encouraged, remembering fondly how patient the rifleman was with him when it came to target practice. The arm around Tino's back tightened in response to the other's hand squeezing his shoulder. Their connected hand remained clasped together, fingers laced lovingly between the other's and held there firmly.

"Oh no, are you okay, Ber?" Tino felt terrible whenever he trampled over his beloved and saw that brow furrow a little in pain...only for the man to peer at him tenderly again.

"I'm fine," Seeing the Finn pout was just too cute…and painful. Berwald's feet were becoming numb and bruised from the unintentional punishment it was taking.

But the numbness lifted and all of that didn't matter when their bodies finally swayed in harmony. The ends of their coats flowed and swished with their synced movements to the rhythm of the distant music coming from the town.

"Am I doing it now?" Tino grinned, his eyes bright as he saw their boots taking coordinated steps and they waltzed across the Draugen's deck. He was no longer running into the Swede, Berwald's body always near and comforting but never colliding into his. "I'm doing it, Ber!"

The accomplished and gleeful look on Tino's face was something Berwald would always remember. It made his heart soar, plunging him deeper in love with the other man than he thought was possible.

 **Crunch!**

"Youch!" Then it was gone and the Finn lost count of the beat, stepping all over him again.

"Wah! I'm so sorry, Berwald!"

"Haha," the taller blond could only laugh wholeheartedly. This earned him a curious look from his beloved, but in return he just held the man closer. He soon felt the other snicker against him and they simply enjoyed the moment.

The light breeze carried the sound of their shared laughter to the skies above and mixed it with the festival's music, creating a rich, pure tune the couple continued to sway to.

Berwald felt playful after slowly twirling the platinum blond. "Ready?" he asked, pulling the man close to his chest so that their foreheads were touching.

"Hm? For what-" Tino found himself staring straight into blue skies and puffy white clouds above as he was dipped, his body lowered at an angle. But he didn't know what was going on when Berwald leaned in and he felt like he was falling backwards on his head. Instinctively, the rifleman tried to regain his balance and right himself up. But his tan boots slipped on the polished oak floorboards and he ended up falling on his back with a thud, pulling the taller blond down with him.

"Oof!"

"Umm…is this how it's supposed to be done?"

The Swede grinned at his lover from his position lying on top of the other, leaning down to give him a kiss. "It is now."

Tino smiled into the lip-lock and wrapped his arms around the other's neck, loving this side of the larger man. It was comforting to know that he wasn't always so hard-working and stern, that the blond knew how to enjoy himself and have fun once in a while. And to share this moment with him and him alone was a gift greater than any treasure the rifleman has ever come across on the seven seas.

Because Tino didn't know what he was supposed to do or what was going on for that matter, they switched positions, the Finn careful of Berwald's height and dipping him slowly while the Swede demonstrated what he was supposed to do. But after several failed attempts and instances of one nearly dropping the other, they still couldn't achieve this move.

Not that either of them cared. They didn't need a festival, drinks, or a graceful dance to enjoy themselves. They had each other, and that was enough for them.

Before the couple knew it, the skies above them turned dark. But just like the town, that didn't mean their celebration ended there. Still alone on the ship, the two continued to enjoy each other's company in another type of dance on Tino's bed. The rifleman excelled in this performance, successfully making Berwald arch and dip on the mattress, their bodies moving in tandem with each other and their pleasured voices ringing out to join the choir of festivities still booming from the town.


	23. 4 AM

**A/N:** Hi there, I just wanted to take the time again to thank all of you wonderful readers for sticking with me for as long as you did. We've finally made it...they're finally together now lol! But don't worry, this is not the end. So I hope that you'll continue to enjoy this little story; this one is for all those celebrating their birthdays, summer break, or anything really because you all deserve it :)

 **Song Title: 4 AM (Adam K & Soha Mix) **by **Kaskade**

* * *

When the event was finally over, majority of the crew members returned back to the ship to nurse their aching hangovers. With most of them in no condition to set sail lest they wanted to empty their stomachs from the rocking motion of the ship, they remained anchored for a couple more days in the peaceful town.

Even though the town knew peace again, the decorations torn down from windows and littering the dirt streets, Tino and Berwald still ventured out to explore when the Finn finally got the okay to leave his post and his guarding duties relieved. Going out on the pretext of rifle practice to avoid suspicion even though they didn't bring any firearms with them, the couple wandered into the quiet town.

The town itself was pretty with its eccentric designs and winding walkways which the two took their time going down to enjoy the sights. None of the denizens seemed to question their appearance or arrival; after all, they had just finished their grand festival. There were sure to be stragglers and those who wished to continue celebrating on the streets with many of them still in high spirits. The couple drifted from one spot to the next, sampling the cuisine of the taverns and buying a few souvenirs from quaint little shops dotting the town.

Eventually, they ended up going to the very edge of the suburb where it opened up to green pastures and rolling hills beyond. It became obvious that neither of them has ever seen such scenery before, taking their time going through the grass and marveling at the landscape untouched by man. A few bushes of wild flowers sprouted here and there along the lush hills, and a large oak tree was perched on top of a particularly high mound. The two thought that was a proper place to rest and settled under the shade provided by the tree's canopy.

Tino had his hands folded over his chest as he would if he laid down in a coffin, violet eyes closed and a content smile on his face, knowing that Berwald was resting right by his side. However, he could only stay in this position for so long.

Wanting to be spoiled, the taller male scooted closer and nuzzled into his partner's neck, demanding the Finn's attention. He got what he wanted instantaneously.

A light chuckle escaped the smaller male as he let himself get picked up and placed on the other's lap where arms wound around him.

Berwald hummed merrily at the fact that the love of his life was sitting on his lap sideways, resting his head against his chest. Now sitting up, he leaned against the trunk of the great oak tree for support while a hand ran lovingly through platinum blond locks. He loved seeing the other so happy.

"I like this," Tino commented softly, staring out at the pastures before them. "It's so peaceful out here, and everything is so beautiful…so full of life,"

"Mmn."

"I also wouldn't mind being held by you like this more often. You're so soft and warm, Ber," he smiled, snuggling into the taller blond's chest. When the other crooned at his comment he added "Of course, you're warm and soft in bed as well."

"…Mm!" Berwald stuttered at the bold statement, his arms instinctively tightening around the Finn. It shouldn't embarrass the Swede as much as it did, seeing as though that was his livelihood once…But with Tino he couldn't suppress the blush rising to his cheeks. He just knew the other was smirking amusedly at his fluster.

The platinum blond leaned his full weight against his lover's chest, wanting to melt into the man's embrace. "This is nice…I wish we had more opportunities like this,"

 _We could…if only we…_

Berwald thought in the back of his mind what could have been their future together if it wasn't for the ship and its captain that bound them both to a life of piracy.

Tino tilted his head up to kiss the underside of the bespectacled man's jaw and neck, knowing that the other felt him smile against his skin. "I love you, Ber."

The blond quickly tilted his chin down to meet those sweet lips, the words uttered from them making his heart flutter every time. But words could not begin to describe how much he was enjoying this peaceful, loving moment. It was rare for Tino to do and say these things in public and openly on the ship for obvious reasons, but whenever he sent him a coy smile or violet eyes stared at him longingly from across the deck, he would treasure them. Being out here in the open where there was no one else but them, it was intimate yet liberating. "Love ya too, so much…" There was so much more he wanted to say about his undying admiration and devotion to the other man, but once again the words lumped in his throat. Fortunately for him, it seemed like Tino could read some of his thoughts and smiled genuinely at him, lips lingering against his.

"Back where I was born, there is only snow," Tino started after they shared a comfortable lapse of silence. "Nothing like what we see here,"

Berwald listened intently, suddenly finding his own breathing to be too loud and stilling it in order to hold onto every word coming from that perfect mouth.

"We were a humble family living in a small cottage with a cozy fireplace that always burned. My mother used to be a teacher and my father was a fur trader; we would travel quite often because of his profession. I remember being taught at home and taken out into the snow fields to hunt even though I was still too young back then," Tino chuckled at the fond memory. "The rifle was as tall as me…"

The smaller man stiffened in his arms suddenly and his voice grave as he said his next words.

"I didn't know my first kill with that rifle would be another human being…"

"…?!" He just knew there was not going to be a happy ending to this story.

"I was around thirteen years old when it happened…" Tino continued, his voice barely above a whisper and violet eyes distant. "Bandits wandered near our home and made quick work of pillaging it, killing my parents in the process…"

Berwald's arms instinctively renewed their efforts to wound around the platinum blond.

The Finn appreciated the protective gesture before going on to say "There were four of them left by the time they came across me…I was hiding in my parents' bedroom when they found me. I was so scared…And before I knew it I simply grabbed the rifle that hung above the bed and pulled the trigger…then I did the same thing with my father's heirloom – a pair of flintlock pistols."

Everything was starting to fall into place in Berwald's mind. Tino sighed heavily into his chest.

"The last bandit…I didn't have any more ammunition, so I just grabbed a fallen weapon from one of his friends and caved his skull in…it all happened so fast…It didn't feel right," He shook his head. " _I_ wasn't right…"

But Berwald begged to disagree, shaking his head vehemently and running his hand up and down the other's arm comfortingly. He dared not to speak up and interrupt the rifleman's tale.

"At the same time of the attack, the fireplace went out of control and pretty soon the whole house was up in flames. I lost nearly everything that day…Hanatamago was the only one to make it out of the fire with me."

 _His only family member left…_

"I found myself on the streets of a neighboring town soon after that, a vagabond." Tino smiled wryly. "I was always so cold and hungry…I remember once I even thought about eating Hana..." he shuddered at the memory. "The scary thing was…I felt that she would have let me if I actually had followed through with it,"

It pained Berwald to listen to these woven words that fabricated Tino's life, because it was real and exactly how he expected life to be for the longest time – full of strife and tragedy. He thought he was content with reciting his own miserable tale, but hearing the love of his life tell his was wrenching his heart. Perhaps he truly was a masochist, because he couldn't help but be pulled into the slow agony that was Tino's existence.

Silently, the Swede learned that while he was on the streets, Tino turned to a life of petty crime, stealing food to survive each day for a few years. Unfortunately, one day he made the mistake of robbing from a large ship that turned out to belong to the North Sea King. The Draugen had made a short stop in the town he was in and he got caught by the captain himself. A bit similar to Berwald's situation, Tino was offered to join the Dane's crew in order to pay off for the stolen goods and has been a member of the band of pirates ever since.

"The Draugen was short on riflemen back then, so when the captain found out that I knew how to handle a firearm, he was more than excited to appoint me to that role," the Finn closed his eyes then. "In order to earn my keep, I had to kill many more men…Honestly, I'd much rather swab the deck for all my days…" he confessed and sighed again, the weight of all the lives he has taken suddenly bearing down on him, crushing his unredeemable soul. "The first time we went to Aurora Cove, I had no idea what to expect and the insanity that followed broke something inside of me,"

"…"

Tino gave his previous statement a thought and shook his head against Berwald's chest. "No, it was broken a long time ago…" His voice was but a whisper as he tried to explain "I lose all sense of myself during those times. I don't know why...perhaps out of the mere need to survive...Something tells me to kill anything that moves when it happens, and it's so much easier to listen than to resist..."

The taller blond with his back against the tree had just about enough and pulled the smaller man on his lap up so that he could see his mournful face. He lavished Tino with soft kisses on his lips, cheeks, and forehead, doing anything and everything to make the other feel better and to say that he still loved him regardless of his past. "I'm so sorry,"

The rifleman melted into the displays of affection, as if those arms holding him and soft lips gracing his face absolved him of his sins, lifting the heavy burden that pulled on his conscience like an anchor. It liberated him, and it almost seemed unfair that he was able to be so loved and happy like this despite everything he has done. He hummed against Berwald's ministration, closing his eyes and feeling kisses planted there as well.

"You had such loving parents...I could tell...they're kind like you."

"Hm?"

Berwald took a shuddering breath. "They didn't deserve what happened to them; you didn't deserve it either." He decided to tell Tino about Hanatamago leading him to his room when he was away and showing him his belongings, particularly the photograph. He didn't want to keep any secrets from his beloved.

Tino only smiled fondly, not the least bit angry or upset. "She is such a smart girl...she wanted you to see because..." he paused and gave it some thought, a pleasantly lost look in his eyes. "She probably knew even before I did that..."

"I love you," Berwald finished for him, reading his thoughts and voicing them. Tino's breath ghosted over his lips, soft and sweet, before their lips met again.

"Exactly. I feel the same way."

The sun was nearly setting behind the rolling hills in front of them, casting its remaining presence in a gradient of orange and yellow light.

When the moment has passed and they both settled down, Tino was still sitting in the other man's warm lap and Berwald thought it was only fair to share his life story with his lover as well. Although not as adventurous and mired in blood, he retold what he could remember of his childhood – the lack of parents to support him, the orphanage and the feeling of abandon there, the crushing loneliness of facing everything by himself with no one to confide in, the hardships of being rejected at every turn and how it eventually led him towards a life of prostitution and the mistreatment by the hands of his brothel keeper and customers. "I couldn't stand up afterwards…like my spine was broken. But m'boss told me I still had to move the new shipment of supplies to the back or else he'd kick me out. So I crawled-" He felt a warm gloved hand caress his cheek, shooshing him.

"You poor thing," Tino said softly, stroking the skin there tenderly. Those amethyst eyes swam with sorrow for the man. "You're so brave and strong to have gone through such things," He kissed the underside of that square jaw again and again.

Berwald turned his head to kiss the palm of the other's adoring hand. "It's okay, I have you now." Everything was going to be all right. He never thought his own story was going to have such a happy ending.

"And I you," Tino chimed in, wanting to end this on a good note as well. "You're wonderful and amazing, Berwald. Everyone may hate and judge me for what I've done, but I no longer care. The only one who matters is you, Ber…never forget that." He pecked the Swede on the lips. "I'm so lucky to have met you and that you gave me a chance at all."

Berwald felt exactly the same way. "Me too…I love you, Tino." Mumbling those words against thin lips, he brought his legs in so that he could curl into the Finn more.

The sun sunk below the shallow hills and threw a darker shadow over the couple by the time they both closed their eyes and were engaged in a romantic lip-lock. The whole session has been therapeutic for both parties, opening themselves up and cementing their utter trust and love for each other. But alas, with the setting sun, it was time to face reality again and the life at sea. But at least they would be facing it together.

On their way back to the ship, in order to keep the mood light Tino mentioned "I had a dream last night,"

"Hm?"

"It was incredible! I haven't had one in years now, so it came as a surprise to me," he smiled at the blond by his side.

They were walking along the winding pavement with their hands slipped in each other's under the cover of darkness. Lamplight dotted the streets through the windows of some stores and homes ready to welcome the night as they passed them by.

"It was a good one - I was walking through a meadow of wheat that was as high as my waist. The grains were soft and golden like your hair, and the sun was nice and bright over me as I laid there," He came in closer to the taller man so that their shoulders were touching. "It was so warm and comforting, like being held by you."

Berwald's heart swelled with joy at the words and he squeezed the other's hand in his. He could only hope that Tino would have more of these pleasant dreams to share with him in the future.

As they boarded back on the Draugen and were out in open ocean once more, they finally had to bid the beautiful town farewell, taking with them a couple of trinkets in their pockets; but more importantly, the memories they made there.

* * *

"Ah…ah!"

It all happened so suddenly, so spontaneously that Berwald was having a hard time wrapping his head around the whole situation. But he gave up on that long ago, allowing himself to be swept away by this wave of pleasure coursing through his body at the moment.

It has been a few days since they've left the port and festivities behind, sailing to a destination both of them didn't care much for. The Draugen careened slowly on the ocean's tides as usual one night and the couple was once again resting in Tino's room when the owner of said room felt the desire to show his bedmate how much he loved him.

So here Berwald was, bent over the wooden desk he knew held his beloved's most valuable belongings, fingers raking over the smooth and polished surface as he was taken from behind. The act was so hurried that both of them were still fully clothed, the Swede's dark purple trousers pulled down to his knees so that his entrance was exposed to welcome the eager arousal.

The room was completely dark save for the faint moonlight streaming through the window on one side of the room, casting soft shadows of the two and their lovemaking onto the opposite wall.

Tino's pace was picking up and sent Berwald in thrall to the pleasure, his vision blurring from both the burning sensation within him and the skewed glasses on his face. "Tino-!" A hand gently clasped over his mouth as he started to moan loudly.

"We have to keep our voices down tonight – the captain is sleeping in his quarters."

For some reason this made Berwald scream louder into the muffling hand. He had completely forgotten that the North Sea King was only a hallway down from them. But that was exactly where he wanted the Dane to be – he wanted Mathias to hear them, to know who his heart belonged to and set him straight. "Mmf!" Berwald bit back a groan through clenched teeth as Tino found his prostate.

The Finn felt his lover tighten around him when he mentioned their situation, the secrecy of their passion obviously exciting the taller blond. And to be honest, the feeling was mutual. Salaciously, he snaked a hand under the man's black undershirt and tweaked the other's sensitive right nipple while his other hand remained on that wonderful mouth, restricting its flow of moans. "You're so good, Ber,"

"Mmn! Mmph!" How could he keep his voice down when the other was doing such deliciously sinful things to his body? He arched his back when the tender spot inside him was hit again and fingers danced across his chest, setting his skin aflame. Thankfully for him, the desk was there to support him when his knees gave way from the pleasure.

 _Oh dear gods, yes! Right there! Ah!_

Berwald suppressed another moan, keening into Tino's hand when he felt slender fingers wander down from his chest to slip between his legs and caress his inner thighs appreciatively before fondling his scrotum.

 _It's too much!_

The mischievous hand eventually went up to squeeze his hard and dripping erection, stroking it languidly. "Oomph! Mmmn!" Berwald was getting light-headed because it was becoming harder to breathe through just his nose, his skin tingling as Tino showered him with licks, kisses, praise, and hushed words of love onto the exposed bit of skin on his neck.

"You're so wonderful, Ber."

 _Tino!_

He so desperately wanted to cry out his beloved's name, but all he could do was moan into that restricting hand, licking the palm of his lover reverently and rocking his hips back to meet Tino's thrusts halfway in order for him to go in deeper.

The Finn was losing control of his rhythm with the erotic way Berwald was twisting and moving in front of him, strong back arching, stomach grinding against the desk, face flushed and the sound of his muffled wails of pleasure reverberating into his hand. He could feel the other's breath quicken against his fingers and cock throb wantonly under his touch. The way Berwald was wiggling his hips encouragingly at him was more than enough for him to push into that inviting heat faster and harder. "Berwald..." he groaned, pushing down the popped collar of the blond's beige coat with his mouth to nip at the nape of his neck.

It became frantic, the desk thumping against the wall thunderously in the stillness of the room, Berwald splayed on top of it and holding onto its edges so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"Nghn!"

 _I'm coming!_

For a moment Tino's grip loosened around Berwald, his fingers slipping into his mouth instead.

The Swede licked and sucked on those digits greedily, drenching them in saliva and moaning around them as he came into the other's awaiting hand. Like a distant earthquake, he felt Tino reach the peak of ecstasy behind him when his body shuddered and filled him up with his seed. A comforting and warm weight then draped over his back, squishing his upper body onto the desk before him. The three fingers inside his mouth slowly pulled away to allow him to take deeper breaths and the rifleman remained resting on top of him.

It was perfection.

"Oh Ber, that was amazing," Tino breathed against his ear, kissing the shell of it while stroking his beloved's sides through the material of his clothes. His hands eventually rested on the man's hips, massaging the area gently.

"Mmn…love you," he turned his head sideways to peck the rifleman on the lips.

"And I you, dear," the platinum blond cooed back.

The two stayed like this for some time on the desk, coming down from their high and basking in the silver moonlight continuously provided by the glass window.

But the night was still young.

Tino noted that Berwald didn't seem to have had enough just yet. The other's body still hungered, clenching onto his length possessively and refusing to let him go – to which suited the Finn just fine.

"Ohhh," the taller man groaned. Berwald felt that his lover wasn't quite satiated yet either, his cock large and pulsing deep inside him. So it confused the Swede when the other pried himself off his back and pulled out of him, leaving him feeling empty. The man's seed spilled forth, running down the lengths of his thighs.

"That position looks uncomfortable for you, shall we try another one?"

 _Oh gods, yes!_

Still wearing nearly every article of clothing on their person, Tino guided them to a space of empty black wall and pressed Berwald's back up against it, kissing him senseless. The pair of glasses was still lopsided on his lover's face, but he paid it no mind.

Vigorously engaged in the lip-lock, his hands busy tangling themselves in platinum blond hair, the taller man barely remembered stepping out of his dark purple trousers when prompted by the other and keeping his sienna brown boots on. "Ngh…Tino…" The hot tongue in his mouth delved into every corner of his cavern, taking his breath away and making his head spin. His legs buckled from under him and he felt himself sliding down the wall a bit to his lover's height, the rifleman steadying him.

"Perfect." Tino commented, staring into glassy cyan eyes.

They held their loving gazes for each other as Tino leaned forward and started off with Berwald's right leg, lifting it up so that his bent knee rested on the crook of his elbow. The same was done to the other leg and soon the taller blond found himself spread nicely in front of his beloved, back still suspended against the wall.

"Ready?"

"Mmn."

Tino fully sheathed himself inside his lover again in one smooth motion and with a sensual squelching sound, the other's gaping hole still wet with his cum and oil.

"Ahn!" Berwald broke eye contact with the other and threw his head back, hitting the solid wall behind him but he didn't care. Tino felt bigger inside of him like this and he moaned at the sensation of his beloved sliding in and out of him at a rigorous pace from the start, the ring of muscle already stretched and opened for him.

"Yes, just like that..."

It was so primal, being taken against the hard surface, pinned to the wall while the Finn ravished him. "Tino, unf!" They weren't supposed to be making any noise, but everything Tino was doing was more erotic than usual and it wasn't fair! Luckily, soft lips descended upon his own to keep his mouth occupied, swallowing his loud moans and shouts.

 _More! Give me more, Tino!_

The platinum blond's hips snapped up repeatedly into his heated body, making every attempt to angle himself in that tight channel in order to hit that elusive bundle of nerves just waiting to be abused. He found it soon enough when a high-pitched keen escaped their melded lips and Berwald's body arched off the wall, thighs trembling and cock twitching.

 _Yes! Please, please, please, harder!_

Arms left their post against the wooden wall and flew up to wrap around the smaller man's shoulders, fingers grasping at the material of the other's black long coat, running over the long trail of stitches he remembered sewing together himself for his beloved after that horrid incident many moons ago. They've come such a long way, and the emotions were swelling inside his chest so much that he feared his heart was going to burst from it all.

 _I love you!_ Berwald tried to say, but all that came out were muffled cries against Tino's mouth. A hand eventually traveled up to the back of the Finn's head to pull the man even closer to himself, ensuring that those lips would never leave his. Tears welled at the corner of his eyes and fell slowly down his cheeks at how good this all felt, body wracked with pleasure and held up by those strong arms that never wavered and pressed him securely against the wall. They hooked and squeezed his legs lovingly, never dropping him and letting him touch the ground. Tino's strength never ceased to amaze him.

"I love you." Tino spoke on both their behalf. He kissed the tears away on that lovely face and made sure to pleasure his Berwald thoroughly, keeping him strung up against the black wall until they were both sated that night.

Bodies rocking against each other as silently as the waves splashing against the hull of the Draugen, the harvest moon peeking through the window of their room continued to be the only witness of their love.


	24. Red Fraction

**Song Title: Red Fraction** by **MELL**

* * *

The white wings of seagulls flying above casted small fleeting shadows down onto the wooden docks below where the Draugen remained anchored for supplies and repairs. After nearing an archipelago, a storm brushed past the sailing vessel and left it springing small leaks on the lower levels of the ship.

As much as Berwald wanted to, he and Tino could not be together at all times on the ship lest they wanted to draw suspicion from fellow crew members...or the captain especially. Thus, the blond busied himself on the dock and stacked the remaining boxes of iron nails and other supplies in order. He was just about to begin loading them onto the ship when a strong chill suddenly blew past him out of nowhere. The sun was out in the cloudless sky, and the ocean's surface before him was nearly as flat as glass...so why was it so cold all of a sudden?

"Hello there, friend, do you work here on these docks by any chance?"

Unfamiliar violet eyes met him when he turned around to the source of the drop in temperature. A man his height was right in front of him, but somehow despite his large stature, he was able to sneak up on the Swede.

Berwald soon realized that what the stranger asked of him was a rhetorical question when the man mused "No, not with those clothes…" He was eyeing Berwald up and down with those sharp violet orbs, an innocent smile on his face.

The other's gaze was unsettling him, and he was standing far too close to him.

 _What does he want?_

The man before him was an odd character. His voice was light and innocent with a Slavic accent, nearly playful with the way those thin lips curled and eyes closed whenever he smiled. But when he opened them again, those violet eyes hid something within them…Berwald couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was and could only describe them in a few words – mischievous, cold, and cruel. Those eyes belied his outward appearance of a round childish face, pale skin, and ashen blond hair. His long tan coat appeared nearly regal, covering most of his body and flowing all the way down to his ankles with golden epaulets adorning the shoulders. Medals of some honor and rank were pinned on the left side of the coat. Dark brown boots rode up to his knees and a tan scarf was wrapped around his neck, its long and tattered ends dangling behind him nearly touching the floorboards. In his white gloved hand was a silver cane with an elegant handle in the shape of a sickle, to which he leaned on so that his face was mere inches away from Berwald's. The air around him was cool and thin, the smell of liquor ever-present in his breath.

"Tell me," The stranger continued, completely disregarding his new friend's discomfort. "Could it be that you're a pirate?"

"…!" Berwald squared his jaw, cyan eyes narrowing into his infamous intimidating glare. His body instinctively stiffened, ready to fight.

 _Is he part of the police here?_

The man certainly looked the part.

Again the question thrown at the Swede was rhetorical.

"You simply must be." He giggled and fished something out of the pocket of his coat – a silver flask. Casually he took a swig of the strong alcohol contained inside before commenting nearly incriminatingly "You're not him, so why do you reek of death?"

 _Him?_

The stranger chatted like he knew him, but Berwald had no idea what the other was talking about. He could not even get a syllable out as the stranger continued to voice his musings.

"No, no, it can't be…" He put away the flask back into his pocket, tapping a finger lightly on his chin. He never took a single step back from the blond, unfazed by the other's intense glare. "But what if it is? It's very faint…If that's his scent then…" The stranger's face split into a toothy smile. "Then does that mean this ship…could it be…?" He beamed and turned his head to the large vessel beside him bobbing on the shallow waters. Although the sails were changed to an innocent white as a disguise, the leviathan figurehead gave it away. "Yes, it is the Draugen-!" He stopped his prattling all of a sudden and peered at Berwald as if seeing the man for the first time. "Oh how rude of me!"

A part of Berwald was telling him to get back onto the ship and never turn back. But it was too late and the stranger had him in his sights.

"I didn't properly introduce myself, did I?" His smile remained toothy, eyes wide with anticipation as he said "My name is Ivan the Terrible, such a pleasure to meet you, friend!"

The name sounded so familiar.

"Oh but enough about me, tell me, where is your other friend? The one on the Draugen? I can't wait to see him again!" Ivan's voice was becoming shrill with excitement from something Berwald dreaded. "He and I are such good friends and I haven't seen him in ages!" The man was practically bouncing on his cane, craning his head up to one of the windows of the Draugen. "Oh where is he? But in the meantime, how would you like to join me and my crew on board the Red Fraction instead? It'll be fun, yes?"

 _What?!_

"No." This was ludicrous! Nothing this pirate was saying made any sense to him. Berwald's swift rejection of the other's offer clearly upset the ashen blond.

Violet eyes darkened all of a sudden, and the gentle grin warped into a scowl as intimidating as the Swede's. "Really now? Won't you care to even give it a second thought?" His voice was low now, no longer giddy with childish enthusiasm. His whole personality and appearance changed at the drop of a hat. "You really should think more carefully about your options, friend." The grip on the handle of his silver cane tightened.

The Lion of the North stood his ground, silently defying the other and ready to fight if need be.

"I'm sure I can get you to change your mind-" Ivan stopped himself mid-sentence, his eyes lighting up and again that manic grin threatened to split his face. "He's near," he said in a sing-song voice, sensing the bloodlust enclosing him that caused his feet to take a step back unconsciously. Hands went up to his face in an attempt to contain himself but to no avail, fingers twitching neurotically across his cheeks. "Oh yes, he's coming this way…He's here!"

"…"

"…?" Berwald had no idea what the madman was going on about until he turned his head to the side.

Like a phantom, the Reaper appeared by Berwald's side. He flicked his eyes over at his taller companion and handed him his steel staff before grimacing at the newcomer. "How annoying…" The voice was light but strained with malice. "So…you're still alive. I knew I should've finished you off when I had the chance…"

"Oh ReeRee! It's been so long! I haven't seen you since you left me for dead in the snow that day!" Ivan smiled from ear to ear, showing all his teeth. "But I forgive you. I'll always forgive such a dear friend like you, ReeRee!" His crazed violet eyes traveled back to the man similar to his height. "And I see you've made a new friend…he will make an excellent addition to my collection." He then shifted his gaze back to similarly colored eyes. "The both of you actually; wouldn't that be wonderful?"

The Reaper growled audibly, baring his teeth. "I should've killed you!" His fingers twitched over the twin pistols resting at his waist.

"Why don't you give it another try, ReeRee?" But before Ivan could take a step forward, a bear of a man blocked his view of the morbidly-clad pirate.

"Leave, now." Berwald stepped in between the two hostile men. He had to get rid of the other as quickly as possible. It was obvious this man's presence wasn't doing Tino any good, rousing the mania he never wanted to see again. It was evident in his bright violet eyes and feral grin that he was losing control of himself. The man before them must be very dangerous to bring about such rage within the Finn with just a single look.

Ivan giggled in front of him, twirling the cane in his hand a few times before saying "Oh I will," He then pointed a finger over the Swede's shoulder to the smaller man behind him. "But not before I take him with me."

"He's not goin' anywhere with you," Berwald found himself spitting out and glaring daggers at the newcomer. His own anger was rising all of a sudden.

But this only seemed to spur the man on. "My my, such a good friend! And those eyes, you want to kill me, yes? It sure looks that way!" He then addressed Berwald coldly. "But how rude of you - you're in my way." The silver cane was raised high above his head at this point. "I'll have to discipline you for that."

Berwald was in no mood to talk, lunging at Ivan and swinging his staff at the madman to block the incoming blow from above.

Their blows were powerful enough to send tremors running down the metal weapons and into their respective owners' hands, thunderous clangs following shortly after. After a few bouts of this, the Reaper was in no condition to stand idly by and watch as the fight proceeded without him, joining his taller companion so that they could overtake Ivan the Terrible together. The two Draugen crew members attacked simultaneously, and whenever Ivan would block or dodge one, he would leave himself wide open for the other and ultimately get hit either way. A well-placed bullet into the ashen blond's shoulder and Berwald had him pinned to the port's floorboards.

"That's it, Ber. Hold him down for me!" Tino purred out as he licked the smoking barrel of his blue flintlock pistol. "I'll blow his brains out in a second," he smiled cruelly at Ivan. "I can't wait to have it squish under my boots!"

"Mmn." Berwald only wanted all of this to be over with as quickly as possible.

Despite his situation, Ivan smiled up at his oppressors and the gun pointed at him, reflecting the rifleman's expression perfectly.

Wild violet eyes looked away from their target for a moment and narrowed.

They have been interrupted.

"Humph." The Reaper redirected his guns to the side and pulled the trigger, deflecting the throwing knives that were silently zipping towards them with his bullets.

 **Clang!**

Thin blades caught the light of the afternoon sun before flying off to Berwald's side on the floorboards, their trajectory redirected to hit no one.

But then a shadow descended upon them from above.

"Get your filthy paws off my brother this instant!"

"Of course you wouldn't be too far behind…" The Reaper snarled, turning his attention to the woman in front of him, preventing the sharp knife she was holding in her black gloved hand from plunging into his heart with his pistols.

This latest intrusion growled back at him. She wore a black dress that was shorter in the front than in the back to reveal creamy thighs, the hems fluttering at her knees and tattered at the end. A black bow adorned the top of her long, flowing platinum blond hair and around her waist; an equally dark chocker was around her neck and stockings mostly covered by knee-high boots graced her legs. A white sash nicely hugged around her hips to accentuate her natural curves. "I'll kill you for this!" she vowed, menacing violet eyes meeting the Reaper's own.

"Oh?" The rifleman welcomed the challenge.

Using this distraction to his advantage, Ivan managed to kick the Lion of the North off him and onto the ground before righting himself up to assist his sister with their prey. "I want him alive, Natalya!"

The Reaper did a back handspring to give himself some distance from the siblings ganging up on him. "Tch, good luck with that," he mocked while jumping away from a couple of knives thrown at him and a solid swing from the cane. "I'd rather die than let you take me, you dog!"

"How dare you! Nobody insults brother and gets away with it!"

The initial moment of shock and pain passed and Berwald was on his feet the second the silver knives came a bit too close to Tino's cheek. Dashing on the port to catch up to them, he snuck up behind the giant of a man and pulled on the ends of his flowing scarf, suffocating him before throwing him back onto the ground.

"Brother!" Natalya was quick to give her sibling her full attention, intent on killing the man harming her most precious.

"Focus on the Reaper," Ivan reprimanded her before turning his attention back to the tall Swede. Grinning up at Berwald from where he was on the ground yet again, he commented lightly "Persistent, aren't we?"

With a grunt Berwald moved out of the way of a swift swing coming at his side from the cane Ivan was still holding, unfortunately allowing the other to spring back up to his full height.

A flurry of metal clashing against metal filled the air before the two tall men were at a standstill. Both dug their boots into the wooden floorboards, standing their ground while trying to push the other back. To Berwald's irritation, their faces were close to each other again from leaning into their respective weapons.

Ivan smiled with his eyes closed at his opponent. "This has been fun, but I think it's about time we finished this."

"…?"

 _What is he...?_

"Damn it!" Tino saw in the corner of his eye while fighting the enraged woman Ivan drawing a hidden blade from the cane's handle while Berwald was still occupied holding him off.

 **Bang!**

A gunshot resonated on the port, sending the seagulls fluttering towards the horizon of the ocean and away from the chaos.

An incomprehensible cuss escaped Ivan's lips as the Reaper's bullet knocked the weapon out of his hand, grazing the fingers that held onto it in the process.

"You bastard!" The rifleman's shot created an opening for Natalya to retaliate after seeing her brother get hit, pulling a knife from the holster on her thigh and throwing it straight into the other's heart.

"Guh!" The large knife dug into the flesh of his forearm, the Finn only having enough time to block the attack rather than evade it altogether. He giggled at the young woman, raising his pistols at her and threatened "I'm gonna skin you alive!" Not even bothering to remove the blade from his arm, he rushed towards her frantically.

The disturbance passed over in a matter of seconds and Berwald was left feeling even angrier at these newcomers for hurting Tino. Storming towards the unarmed ashen blond, he wanted to make sure that the other would never raise a finger against them ever again.

"Yes, that's the spirit, friend!" Ivan cooed, bracing himself for the swing from Berwald's steel weapon. He remained completely jovial and calm despite his situation and those bright cyan eyes behind wire-framed glasses leering at him. "Let me see how much you hate me!"

The sound of whistles pierced the air around them and grew closer to the shoreline – the police. They have heard the commotion coming from the port.

"Hmm, seems like our little game will have to wait until next time," Ivan smiled, but his tone was full of malevolence. "It won't do any good if I kill all the officials and my prize ends up getting away, yes?" Berwald saw the man in front of him fall back, leaning away from him in order to pick up his abandoned silver cane on the floorboards a distance away from them. "Come, Natalya, we're done here."

The woman next to Tino relented immediately, but not before sending the rifleman a death glare and falling back to regroup with her brother.

"We'll meet again, ReeRee." Ivan the Terrible grinned with his eyes closed, waving at him. They might have been able to apprehend the Reaper if he was alone, but he had a very capable friend this time. _Their teamwork was impeccable…_ Dark violet eyes opened just by a slit to look at Berwald, who was still on guard, before he took a step backward to begin his retreat. "Do take care of that wound, yes? I don't want you to die just yet. It's far too soon,"

"Ha, who said _you_ were going to be leaving here alive?!" The Reaper had every intention to give chase to the fleeing duo when strong arms coiled around his shoulders, pulling him into a warm chest.

"Please stop, Tino." Berwald whispered into his lover's ear, lips mumbling against the shell of it. They had to get going as well lest they get captured by the authorities. His hold tightened when the other struggled. "Stop this,"

"What is this?! Let me go!" Tino spat when he was gently turned around to face the taller blond, almost wanting to kill the man for letting his prey go. But his disgusted snarl weakened, body slacked, and eyes narrowed in recognition when he saw soft cyan eyes staring back at him. "Ber...?" His vision blurred for a moment and his head was spinning from the madness. The floorboards beneath him rocked to and fro like the tempest sea and he was swaying when the next thing he knew, sweet lips smothered his own and everything was rooted under him once more.

"Come back to me, Tino," Berwald beckoned softly, a hand going up to the smaller man's cheek to stroke the skin there tenderly. "I love you," His other arm never left Tino's waist and he continued to coo against those thin lips. By the time he pulled away to see the other's face, placid violet eyes greeted him.

The hysteria left Tino's features and voice as he cupped his beloved's cheek, saying softly as though he just woke up from a dream "Berwald...you're hurt,"

Berwald leaned into his touch before replying "As are you." Thank goodness, his Tino wasn't too far gone into the madness and he was able to pull him out of it in time, the kind and gentle man returning to him much sooner than last time. He guided them back to the long board leading up to the Draugen, never once letting go of his hold around the other to support him. The Swede was thrilled when Tino leaned against him.

"Oh, how fascinating," Ivan paused in his retreat to look back at the two, clearly amused. He thought it was strange when the Reaper didn't pursue them as hotly as he anticipated. But upon observing what the tall blond's effect had on his close friend…it was starting to make sense to him.

"I don't understand why you're so interested in him, brother." The tone was deathly even, but Natalya's stare was nothing but malicious towards the Reaper. She would never forgive him for what he did to her beloved sibling.

"You don't need to understand, sister."

Back on the deck of the Draugen and away from the scene of the fight, Berwald had just planted a kiss on the rifleman's head while no one was looking when the sound of heavy boots clomping on the wooden boards neared them.

"Now what the hell just happened down there?!" the North Sea King demanded of him. "That was Ivan the Terrible just now and his sister, ain't I right?!" The blond captain looked wide-eyed at his rifleman, flabbergasted at how calm he was after encountering the infamous pirate again. There wasn't a hint of murderous intent in those amethyst eyes despite the knife stuck in his arm. His own blue eye darted from the couple in front of him to the two figures on the boardwalk.

"We'll talk later," Berwald brushed the captain off with Tino in tow to see Ludwig. They both needed treatment and for once Mathias had nothing more to say to him.

After seeing their backs turned to him, the captain was left standing on the deck with his mouth gaping like a fish. He had heard the gunshots and commotion below on the port, planning to intervene and calm the Reaper down himself when it was all over before he even left his cabin and his efforts not necessary. The only thing he was able to see was the aftermath. He missed how the man did it, but Berwald was able to soothe his rifleman with much less effort and apparently more affection. Not only did the taller blond survive the Reaper's wrath when he was at his worst, but to be able to rein in that insanity as well...The very thought aggravated Mathias and he scowled at the Swede's retreating back now disappearing down the stairs to the infirmary. The man held a power only the Dane himself thought he had over the Finn. Calming the Reaper when he was in his crazed state was something only he as the captain could do and took great pride in. It took the North Sea King years to train and exercise control over the rifleman like that, but this new recruit pulled it off nearly instantly! Yes, Berwald was the object of Mathias' carnal desires, but he was also becoming a threat to his authority. This thought and the fact that Ivan the Terrible was stalking them once more resulted in a very irate captain.

* * *

"The Red Fraction is a pirate ship led by its captain, Ivan the Terrible and his two sisters. You've already met one of them, Natalya, also known as the 'Queen of Blades,'" Tino explained while patiently waiting for his turn to be treated, sitting on a wooden chair. Despite his injuries, he insisted that Berwald was tended to first, keeping his pain and the fact that his body was feeling weaker to himself.

"He has many strong and capable men under his command," The doctor added, tightening the bandage around Berwald's torso. He then inspected his hands and pulled out any splinters that may have embedded themselves into his palms during his fight. "But none are as dangerous as those siblings..."

The sleeve of Tino's long coat was dyed a deeper shade of black from the wound on his forearm, but he paid it no mind, his breathing a bit labored as he continued "Indeed, we've met them before some time ago…"

"But, what did he do to you?" Berwald asked carefully, peering into those hooded violet eyes. What did he do to his precious that could evoke Tino's wrath with his mere presence? Or rather, why was Ivan so interested in only him?

At this Tino smiled at him sadly. "He abducted me and took me on board his ship, much like what he would have done to you…I couldn't have that."

 _What?!_

"He forced me to join his crew for a time…but I didn't take too kindly to that and eventually escaped…" The temperature inside the infirmary was beginning to drop and the Finn felt very sleepy. His taller companion was becoming blurry. "It wasn't easy - Ivan made every effort to keep me there…I was only able to get away with the help of one of the crewmates on that ship. Eduard…that was the blessed man's name..."

"There, you're all set." Ludwig announced, releasing Berwald's wrist.

"Thank-"

 **Thud!**

The rifleman could no longer hold himself up in his seat, collapsing onto the infirmary's floor with a small smile on his face, knowing that his beloved was safe.


	25. Fallen Angel

**Song Title: Fallen Angel ft. Aimee B** from the **Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt OST**

* * *

"Tino!" In a heartbeat, Berwald was kneeling on the floor next to the unconscious man without any regards to his own freshly bandaged injuries or the people around him. He gathered his lover into his arms tightly, the man remaining unresponsive.

"Quickly, lay him down on the cot," Despite his calm exterior, Ludwig's voice was tight with concern. The Reaper could not have fallen so easily by just a wound to the arm...Something more was at work and his suspicions were confirmed when he caught the symptoms.

"What's wrong?" Berwald's usually deep voice was rising in panic.

"It's poison…the blade was covered in it." Ludwig grimaced when he finally removed the throwing knife from the sleeping man's forearm. But it was too late, and by then the poison has already begun working its way into its victim's system. The doctor ran a hand through his blond hair before huffing. Against his usual demeanor, he haphazardly scribbled a bunch of notes onto a piece of paper. "The Queen of Blades' poison is rumored to be very fast-acting and deadly because it's a combination of many other poisons…it's very rarely that she uses it…How Reaper managed to sit still and talk for as long as he did goes beyond my medical knowledge,"

 _Oh gods, no…_

The words were hardly registering in Berwald's brain, the Swede far too concerned with staring into that pale porcelain face deep in sleep. Unconsciously he reached for the other's slender hand and held it tightly, disheartened when it didn't squeeze back.

"Each poison requires its own antidote," The doctor was too concentrated on his work and diagnosis to bother looking at the taller blond. Diligently he looked for all the symptoms on his unconscious patient, prodding here and there. Analyzing his findings, he soon connected them to a possible type of poison and eventually concluded which antidote would treat it. "I can only pray that I have them all in my arsenal."

 **Bam!**

The door to the infirmary swung violently open to reveal a frustrated captain. "You!" He seethed at Berwald after taking a glance at the doctor paying him no heed and the rifleman on the cot. He roughly pulled the dazed Swede out of the infirmary and into the hallway to begin interrogating him, his patience all but gone. "I'm done waitin', Ber!" he snapped at the larger man. "Yer gonna tell me what just happened right now! Why the hell is my Reaper one foot in the grave?!"

 _Because of me…again…_

Berwald's expression contorted into one of frustration, worry, guilt, and anger. "He's been poisoned," he parroted what the doctor had told him. His answer clearly dissatisfied the other.

"And how the hell did that happen? What did that bastard want with you? Y'all shoulda stayed on the ship the moment ya saw him!"

All these questions seemed irrelevant and ridiculous when compared to Tino's life now hanging in the balance.

"Does it even matter?!" Berwald snapped back, voicing his thoughts.

His subordinate's furious response and scowl stunned Mathias, rendering him silent for a moment. Begrudgingly, even the stubborn captain had to acknowledge that the Lion of the North was right - his top rifleman took priority at the moment. "You and I are gonna have a long talk when all of this is over, ya hear?" Mathias eased himself off the taller man, no longer up in his face and instead pulled out a pouch full of gold coins from a pocket in his black long coat. Handing it over to the Swede, he ordered "See to it that ya help the doc out and get him whatever he needs. Do not fail me, Ber."

Berwald didn't need the captain to tell him that, but nonetheless he clutched onto the money given to him to buy the proper medicine. For once they agreed and worked towards a common goal. "Mn."

The North Sea King turned on the heels of his unbuckled brown boots. Ivan the Terrible has returned…they needed to be on guard and hurry with the repairs. The sooner they were out of that madman's sights, the better.

Mathias' calculations were not far off, and giving Berwald as many coins as he did was justified when the doctor was done with his list of needed antidotes.

"I'll treat him with what I have on me right now. I leave the rest to you," Ludwig wished him the best of luck before turning his attention back to the unconscious Finn now convulsing in pain.

The total was both extensive and expensive even with all the medicine Ludwig had on hand, but as soon as the list was handed to him, Berwald was off the ship and heading into town. He only spared his dying lover one last look before he was gone.

 _Hang in there, Tino...please. I'll be back soon_

The police who have heard their fight earlier that day have cleared out by the time Berwald left the ship when they saw no culprits or bodies around, dispersing and chalking the whole thing up to a small sailors' brawl.

In a mad dash across town, Berwald practically ran through the streets with list in hand to visit as many apothecaries as he saw that sold what Ludwig was looking for. The number of medicine vials grew while the coins in his pouch dwindled with each purchase as the sun prepared to set under the tall bell tower overlooking the small town. He was running out of time and hardly cared when he ran into some of the denizens on accident; his intimidating face was more than enough to make them reconsider their complaints and simply move on with their lives. So it didn't faze him when he bumped into one rude fellow who shouted at him.

"Hey, watch where ya goin'!"

Berwald kept on going without looking back at the stranger and headed towards the edge of town to a particular store after hearing from another seller that this was the only place that sold the last item he was looking for. He didn't care how far he had to travel, his feet taking him there, spurred on by a sense of urgency to return to Tino's side as quickly as possible. So it completely filled the Swede with utter panic when he finally reached his destination, found the final antidote on the list and reached into the pocket of his beige coat for the pouch of coins given to him…only to find nothing there.

Empty.

The man at the counter cocked an eyebrow at him cynically. "Is something the matter?" he asked pointedly, his patience running thin since he wanted to close shop before the sun was completely gone from the sky.

The taller blond frantically searched his person for the last bit of gold coins on him, rummaging through all of his pockets and the bag holding all the various bottles of medicine he has accumulated throughout the day.

 _It can't be!_

He knew he still had a bit of money left on him by the time he headed towards this place...so...His body froze with the setting sun. His breathing came out ragged and face paled at the realization - at one point he had been robbed and didn't even notice in his haste.

"S-Sir, if you don't have the money for this antidote, then I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere...we're closing." the man said shakily, obviously frightened by the stunned customer before him. Those cyan eyes looked like they were ready to kill and he was beginning to fear for his life, hand trembling as it reached for the small pistol kept in a drawer behind the counter for situations such as this one.

Yes, Berwald was devastated beyond belief. Yes, he so wanted to save Tino's life. But despite all that and living the life of a pirate for as long as he did, his moral compass would not allow him to steal from this apothecary. It was tearing him apart. Instead he turned tail and ran out of the store, leaving the last antidote behind and crying on the inside.

He has failed - Tino was going to die.

Carrying himself defeatedly back to the Draugen with whatever strength he had left and bag full of medicine held securely in his arms, he dropped the vials off to Ludwig gravely upon entering the infirmary.

"Ah you're back, were you able to find everything?" Ludwig took the various bottles of medicine and prepared to administer them to the ailing patient. He has been using substitutes in an attempt to stave off the poison's effect, but the results were short-lived and he was running out.

"You were able to complete your mission, right, Ber?" Feliciano piped up from where he was sitting in a chair next to his friend. "ReeRee's going to be all right...right?" His big brown eyes desperately searched Berwald's face for any signs of confirmation. "Everyone's been so worried...Peter cried himself to sleep..."

Tino was still unconscious on the cot, looking sicklier than before and shivering. The wound on his forearm had long been bandaged up. He was clearly still in pain even in his sleep, brow furrowing uncomfortably as he tossed and turned, muttering something under his ragged breaths.

The scene tore Berwald in two when he admitted his failure, the weight of disappointment heavy on his heart as he pointed to the last item on the list - the most expensive antidote. "I'm so sorry..." he choked out, his body numb from the emotional overload and all the running he put it through. He was about to leave the infirmary without another word, no longer able to look at his beloved's withering state.

"It's not too late!" Ludwig tried to say to the figure in the doorway. "There's still time, but you must move quickly - time is of the essence when it comes to battling a poison." He could only hope that his patient will pull through and hold out long enough for the remaining antidote to arrive.

With this bleak and painful hope, Berwald set out once again, leaving the rifleman in the doctor's and Feliciano's care. But he was at wit's end - he had no money left. Even with all his savings, it still wasn't enough to afford the medicine. He even tried to talk to the captain and explain himself, but the Dane was in a foul mood after the stunt they pulled at the port earlier that day, having left his room and the cabin's double doors locked. Berwald didn't know what to do, heading out into town aimlessly.

The streets were dark...so dark...

A horrible idea came to him then when he passed by a bar strewn with ladies of the night - he would have to make money like how he knew best in his past. It was the perfect time of the night for that. Berwald would sell himself in order to make up the remaining funds needed for the antidote. He didn't care how shameful the prospect of it all sounded; money was money and he desperately needed it in order to save his beloved's life.

Instinctively he headed towards the more seedy part of town, stalking the usual places his former coworkers mentioned for a customer. It was more difficult than he remembered, since usually people approached him out of the blue in the brothel to seek his services. But here, the Swede had to seek them out, actively approaching them; it felt foreign and he took no pride in it. In some areas, women approached him but quickly turned their noses away once he named a price - they believed _they_ were the ones who should be paid for their company. When it was getting really late and Berwald has gone to several places without finding someone to spend the night with him, he was just about ready to give up, completely demoralized. He has failed Tino on so many levels.

It was when he was heading in the direction back to the Draugen to cry by Tino's bedside at his incompetence that he stumbled upon a drunken man in an alleyway.

"What the hell are ya lookin' at?!" the raucous man demanded of Berwald before ungracefully vomiting in front of him.

The Swede scowled in disgust and was about to leave the alleyway when a voice called him back.

"Oh no wait a minute," The older-looking man beckoned Berwald to come closer, suddenly changing his demeanor when he got a better look at the handsome blond and his youthful figure. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare ya…are ya lost?" he purred out, trying his best to look seductive despite what happened just a few seconds ago. "I can show you around if ya like,"

The man was repulsive with his unkempt working clothes and bruised face. He must have gotten into a fight and subsequently got himself kicked out of a bar.

But this was most likely Berwald's last chance to find a customer before the sun rose again. So with one last deep breath he approached the balding man casually, leaning down to whisper into his ear as lowly and welcoming as he would allow "Yes, are ya interested in my company?"

"Oh I'm interested all right," The drunkard quickly caught onto his younger companion's invitation, clammy hands already going around back to sample what the other had to offer. He very much liked what he was seeing and feeling. "Very interested indeed, lad."

As quickly as the drunk allowed it, they were off and went deeper into the alleyway, away from the public road and fresh vomit to deal their business. The customer was rough and cursed a lot, but Berwald didn't care. He didn't moan for the drunkard, it didn't feel good at all, and he didn't come. His body ached and the rancid smell of stale alcohol and bile pervaded his nostrils as he was pressed up against the wall. This was what he was familiar with back at the brothel – it was something he never wanted to be reacquainted with again.

"God, you feel so fuckin' good!"

The words sickened him, but he got what he wanted.

He would be able to buy the medicine that Tino direly needed.

And for Tino, he would do anything.

* * *

Right after the whole ordeal with the drunkard was over, Berwald trudged through the dark streets yet again to the edge of town where he camped outside the destined apothecary. As soon as the early morning sun peaked out from behind the town's bell tower and stirred the ragged blond, he bought the antidote the moment the store owner opened shop.

The man recognized Berwald from the day before, wary of this estranged customer but could not get a word in when the intimidating man threw money at him and ran off with the precious vial.

When the Swede finally managed to make it back aboard, he found out that Tino has been transferred out of the infirmary and into his own room to rest.

Ludwig was no longer able to do anymore for him.

Missing the Finn so badly, Berwald asked if he could administer the last antidote himself on the pretext that it was good practice for him. The medicine had to be ingested. With the door to the morbid room closed and locked behind him, Berwald approached the still rifleman on the bed.

It became obvious that the antidotes were taking effect.

Color was returning to Tino's porcelain face, closed eyes no longer scrunching up in anguish and instead an unreadable expression took its place. He looked stunning in the bespectacled man's eyes.

Pouring out the recommended dosage provided by the doctor, Berwald took the bitter medicine into his mouth and leaned into Tino's face resting on the pillow. Tilting the unconscious man's chin up between his index finger and thumb, he then sealed their lips together before releasing the antidote into the other's mouth slowly in small amounts, stroking his throat tenderly to encourage him to swallow.

"Mnh,"

A small moan that wasn't his own echoed in the room and cyan eyes popped open just in time to see those closed eyes flutter open to reveal ashen violet orbs.

Berwald's heartbeat quickened when he felt those thin lips move on their own, drinking the rest of the antidote down with ease, a tongue slowly peeking out to brush against his teeth to get the last bit of medicine that stuck there.

By the time they separated, a string of saliva still connected their mouths.

"Berwald…" was the first thing Tino breathed out upon waking from his poison-induced coma.

 _Tino!_

The taller male was upon his lover in an instant, showering the other with all forms of affection from hugs to kisses before eventually curling himself into those open arms and warm chest.

 _Thank the gods you're alive!_

An overwhelming sense of joy and relief flooded him as he laid on the bed with Tino, burying his nose into the other and breathing in deep, relishing in the scent of his lover. He needed this…he needed this more than he thought he did after last night. Tino cooed something softly above him, his voice light albeit groggy from sleep. It was music to his ears.

"Everything around me was so dark and thick, like I was drowning," the platinum blond tried to explain his experience to the man in his arms. "I feel so drained…my body still feels so heavy,"

 _I'm just glad you're awake!_

Berwald tried to speak up, but found that his own throat was closing up from his wild emotions, and hot tears were streaming down his face where it quickly soaked the rifleman's beige undershirt.

Tino's hands dragged themselves up with much effort in order to stroke across his taller lover's back. He could feel the other sob into his chest. "I'm so sorry I worried you, Ber. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough…" A hiccup rose from the man in his arms followed by a violent shake of his head.

 _No…_ I'm _sorry for being weak…_

"I was careless..."

 _Say no more, I love you!_

"Thank you for saving me, Berwald."

Hands clutched onto the sides of Tino's black long coat when Berwald felt the other kiss his scalp.

 _If I was able to hold my own, you wouldn't be in this mess!_

"Mm, what happened? How long was I out? Are you all right?"

It was still early in the morning with the sun bright and warm outside and Tino's body heat enveloping him, yet Berwald froze. He answered rather shyly to the innocent questions and shocked the Finn when he couldn't prevent the guilty tone from rising in his voice, emotions and details kept unchecked.

"Antidotes aren't cheap, how in the world were you able to afford all of it?" Tino gasped. "If I'd known I would've given you all of my money ahead of time…it's my own fault after all,"

Berwald realized he set himself up to reveal his debauched act the moment he let that detail slip and dove his head back down into the platinum blond's chest. He couldn't lie to the other's face or consciously leave any details out before those piercing eyes.

"Berwald?"

"I'm sorry…" he murmured pathetically but said no more. Another spoken word and he would have torn in two from the guilt and shame.

It dawned upon Tino then.

Aside from the smell of exertion and sweat on his beloved, something else mired the other's scent…and the way he appeared shamefaced and pained…

He had an idea of how Berwald got the money without him having to say anything – his body said it all. "Oh Berwald," Tino held onto the man tighter. "My poor Berwald!" he bemoaned, screwing his eyes shut and nuzzling into blond hair. "I'm so sorry!"

Berwald felt like crying all over again over his horrid actions last night.

The whole situation saddened them both dearly.

"Do you…want me to help you clean?"

Again the Swede shook his head, having already done so the moment the stranger finished, wanting the putrid substance out of him as soon as it entered him. It wasn't anything the former brothel worker was foreign to. He only had himself to take care of it back then after all – Tino was spoiling him. He heard a shaky sigh escape his beloved as he continued to apologize profusely before the poison remaining in his body rendered him unconscious once more.

The room became eerily quiet with a heavy sense of misery hanging over it.

As much as he wanted to stay in bed with his beloved now that his condition was stabilizing, Berwald knew that he couldn't. Mathias has renewed his efforts to monitor his every move, and he felt that blue eye trailing him around again in the same manner when he first joined the pirate crew. He had to watch himself even more carefully now if the captain already had an inkling of what he and Tino shared. Plus, his previous actions still weighed heavily on his soul. And so, it was back to work on the ship as usual for him. He made sure he looked presentable enough by checking himself in the small mirror stowed in one of the desk's drawers in order to dissuade any suspicions of his bout of tears in front of the other crewmen. Bidding his love farewell for now, he tucked him in and kissed those lips and cheeks one last time before heading out with a heavy heart.

His assignment to aid the doctor with the Reaper's injuries was now complete. He had to continue with his menial tasks on the Draugen, but thoughts on Tino's well-being would never stray too far from his mind.

* * *

The few hours he had to be away from Tino felt like years aboard the Draugen.

"C'mon, put yer backs into it, men!" the North Sea King barked at his slacking workers, clearly impatient and flustered. "We need to set sail as soon as possible! Or do ya want that bastard to take you with him next?" Their best rifleman was incapacitated and ship battered with low supplies; they were in no condition to fight should that terrible pirate decide to show up again. A strict curfew was placed on his men to return to the ship by sunset should they wander into town – power in numbers and staying together was the best way to fend themselves at the moment.

Berwald's job and tasks were made a bit more difficult than usual because of the pain in his lower back, but it wasn't something he didn't have to put up with before. The repairs were still under way and it wasn't until mid-morning turned into the afternoon that they were finally allowed to have lunch. The tall bespectacled blond brushed past his fellow crew members groaning and bickering over the intensive labor and headed towards the kitchen to grab two trays for himself and Tino. Before heading off to the other's room, he informed Feliciano of the Finn's condition and the chef simply beamed at the news.

Once inside Tino's room, he saw that the man was still lying motionless on the bed. So it came as a surprise when just as he was about to leave the food on the work desk, a strong hand grabbed him and pulled him onto the bed.

"I know you still have work to do, but would you mind staying here for just a little while? I sleep easier when you're next to me," Tino snuggled into Berwald's large frame.

Of course he couldn't say no. He allowed himself to be held and coddled gently in the rifleman's embrace before sitting the man up on his lap and feeding him his lunch. His beloved seemed to enjoy the special treatment and smiled weakly at him while he ate his.

Words were sparingly used in the room, the silence and each other's presence comforting them both.

Once that was done, Tino pulled the man down so that they were both lying on the mattress, resting his chin on top of the other's head, kissing and nuzzling into his blond hair and inhaling his scent. "I love you, Berwald, no matter what. Please remember that…" His voice faded inside the room and sleep took him.

"Mmn." The words wrenched Berwald's heart with guilt, but all the same he made himself comfortable against the other's soft chest and stayed there for a long while, noticing that the smaller male's body was hotter than usual.

He was running a high fever.

When he was sure the platinum blond was fast asleep and his breathing even, Berwald unwillingly removed himself from the other and brushed the matted bangs from his heated face to the side.

There were still tasks that needed to be tended to.

Tino remained asleep for the whole day the next day.


	26. In the Middle of the Night

**Song Title: In the Middle of the Night** by **Within Temptation**

* * *

While his lover was resting in the safety of his room aboard the Draugen, Berwald had the opportunity to sneak into town to a bathhouse in an attempt to wash the scent of his late customer and the shame that came with it off his body. Yes, the situation was dire, but he couldn't help but think that while Tino was back on the ship dying, he was out having sex with another man.

Did Tino think lowly of him now even though the Finn said otherwise?

 _He hates me…disgusted with me…_

Berwald could never run away from what he once was, the stigma haunting him until the day he no longer walked the earth.

The initial joy of seeing those violet eyes open once more faded and gave way to a crushing sense of guilt.

There was nothing more he could do to help the other but watch the rifleman fight the poison within him alone, and he hated that fact. The scene tore at him like razor blades. All of these thoughts and self-loathing led Berwald to miserably carry himself through town with no goal or destination in mind. He rounded a corner here and there, aimlessly wandering by himself on the streets and past some shops, wanting so badly to return to the man he loved but too fearful of being judged by said man for his sins. Against the captain's orders, he did not return to the ship when night fell, a red moon rising in the dark sky above the bell tower.

 _I should fix the cut on the sleeve of his coat from that knife…_ Berwald thought idly, hoping that this little act of penance would get him one step closer to earning Tino's love again.

The evening wind was cold and cruel as it howled through the empty streets.

"Hello there again, friend!" An equally chilling voice greeted Berwald from behind.

"…!"

"You've had quite a long day in town today, yes?" Ivan smiled at him gently with his eyes closed. They were only a stone-throw away from each other. "You must be tired, come back with me to the Red Fraction and you can rest there all you like,"

 _He's been stalking me this whole time?!_

Berwald didn't buy into that deceptively generous offer for a second. "No." he answered briskly, his body stiffening and ready to put up a fight. He will never forgive the man for what he did to Tino. He will finish this once and for all. He will kill him if he had to.

Ivan the Terrible opened his violet eyes that glowed in the red moon's light then, raising his regal silver cane. "I insist."

The two took off towards each other at the same time.

The Swede didn't care if he didn't have his steel staff on him, fending himself against the swings from that gleaming cane, keeping his distance from the blade hidden within it. He was able to sneak in a few solid jabs into the infamous pirate after evading a couple of blows.

The wounds from their previous fight were still visible, the shot to Ivan's shoulder from Tino's pistol evident, but that didn't seem to bother the man one bit.

After uppercutting the other's jaw, he heard Ivan giggle.

"Oh you really must hate me to punch me that hard," He grinned, fresh blood running down the side of his mouth from the punishing blow. "I want to see more, Lion of the North!"

Berwald happily obliged him, throwing a barrage of hits that connected consecutively into the other, the gruesome sound of fists against flesh filling the silence of the dark street.

But Ivan got up every time his face hit the ground, and each time he got back up, his smile grew wider and his depraved eyes brighter. It was the same look Tino donned back at Aurora Cove. "More!" he demanded when a kick knocked the wind out of him and sent him flying back. "That's it, friend! Kill me!" The material of his tan coat wrinkled and was stained with dirt and blood from all the abuse its owner was going through, the long scarf hanging loosely on the man now.

Berwald himself was becoming disheveled from the exertion, the blue bandana around his head loose and beige coat spliced here and there from the hidden blade. A few cuts grazed his skin and bled through the material of his black undershirt. He had to end this quickly.

"Brother!"

"Gah!" A sharp pain pierced through the Swede's back before he could even turn his attention to the new voice – two knives lodged into his back, right between his shoulders.

"You really shouldn't interfere, sister."

 **Thwack!**

A solid hit from the silver cane landed on the back of the Lion of the North's skull.

And then Berwald's world went black, predatory violet eyes and the red moon shining above him the last things he saw before his mind slipped into the darkness.

 _Tino...I'm sorry_

"What in the world did he do to you?! Unforgiveable!" The Queen of Blades snarled at the bespectacled blond lying face down in the dirt, her glare as sharp as her knives.

Ignoring his younger sister's overprotective nature and the pain coursing throughout his body, Ivan bent down and hefted his fallen prey over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The fun had to stop for the moment…but it was only the beginning and he was sure he was going to have even more fun now that the Lion of the North was in his possession. "We got what we came here for, let's go."

As the figures cleared out of the street without another sound and with Berwald in tow, Ivan gave Natalya her orders accompanied by a giddy giggle and wicked grin. "Give ReeRee my regards."

They soon disappeared among the fog rolling in from the shoreline into parts unknown.

* * *

"…!" Tino finally woke up to the sound of excited chatter coming from the deck.

"Finally, I can get some sleep again!"

"Good riddance!"

"Yeah, but if that bastard comes back, I'll be sure ta give 'im hell!"

The tense air seemed to have lifted from the Draugen and it was as though the very ship was releasing a huge sigh of relief.

All of this baffled the newly-awakened rifleman until from the window in his room he saw a massive ship, slightly larger than the Draugen itself go by with full sails…a bit too close for comfort. The vessel emerged from behind a natural rocky incline near the port they were docked at and appeared to be heading out into open ocean, its sails a deep crimson color. The main body of the ship was painted black with some ends such as the bow and the frame of the windows on the side embossed in gold.

The Red Fraction.

 **Crash!**

Just as the Finn identified the ship and the reason why everyone on board seemed so relieved, a knife came crashing through his window and whizzed past his face before it landed in his wooden door. The Reaper didn't have to inspect the weapon to know who the blade belonged to.

 _Most likely a parting gift…_ He didn't give it much thought.

Ivan the Terrible no longer had business with them and he wasn't taken away again. That was truly a blessing.

He tried getting up from the bed for the first time since he has been poisoned. His body felt lighter, no longer weighed down by the foreign substance in his body and all that was left was a small headache. The antidotes worked – he would be well again and had Berwald and the doctor to thank for that. Speaking of which…

 _Where is he?_

It was already mid-afternoon and the Swede was nowhere in sight. He didn't even come by to visit and drop off the meal tray like he usually did when he caught the Finn sleeping during lunchtime.

 _Something isn't right…_

Tino felt it for a while now and was getting worried. He knew the other felt guilty. But there really wasn't any reason for his beloved to feel that he did something shameful or wrong. He never wanted Berwald to resort to that kind of lifestyle again…and yet he was the reason why the man had to sell his body. The platinum blond felt terrible over the whole ordeal and what Berwald had to go through for him. He didn't get a peaceful sleep with these thoughts on his conscience and when the other was gone. Thus, with renewed resolution the recovered rifleman set out to find his beloved and set things straight.

The only problem was, he was nowhere to be found on the ship. For such a large man, Berwald was exceptionally good at hiding. Many of the members on board were relieved to see their top rifleman on his feet again, but were unable to tell him the whereabouts of a certain crewmate.

This sent Tino's heart palpitating.

 _No, no, no! Did something happen to him while I was asleep?_

He didn't have time to beat himself up on the thought before he was off the Draugen and parading through town without his mask on. He searched through the string of people going about their daily lives and visited the common public places in hopes of catching a tall bespectacled blond, but no one matched that profile anywhere he went.

The sun was setting.

A grim thought came to mind and made his blood run cold along with the night's chilling wind.

 _What if…_

No, Ivan wanted him, right? It was only a suspicion that needed to be confirmed. The last thing he wanted to do was chase down the Red Fraction without rhyme or reason. Plus, Berwald was strong; he knew he could hold his own against anyone.

 _But that's exactly why…_

"I'm tellin' ya, I saw him! Ivan the Terrible himself I say!" Against a wall, Tino heard a shop owner complaining to a police officer who clearly thought he was delusional.

"Right, and when did this happen exactly, sir?"

"Just last night! He was fightin' some other big guy," he sighed exasperatingly when the officer barely took down any notes.

"Okay, so why didn't you report this to us as soon as you saw them?" he drawled.

At this the store owner flinched, his mustache twitching from side to side. "I…I was scared …I didn't want them to see me, ya know! I could've gotten killed!...And there was none of you lot nearby!"

"Right…"

But then the shop owner got defensive and accused "There are pirates walking among this town and you folks aren't doin' a damn thing about it!" He looked around them through his thick glasses and saw a figure with a tattered black long coat and beige scarf, pointing an accusing finger at the Finn. "Like that fellow over there! Don't ya think he looks like the Reaper?!"

"Now, now, we can't go around accusing everyone of being a pirate, right?" The police humored the other and turned in the direction he was pointing at, only to have his assumptions confirmed that there was no Reaper to be seen – just a brick wall. "I think you need to take it easy for a while, sir."

 _Damn it!_

Tino knew…he knew it all along! Ivan's words, his interest in Berwald, the fight and the knife at his door…it was so obvious! Yet, he didn't want to acknowledge it. He didn't want to believe in the worst case scenario and that his beloved has been snatched away in the night. It wasn't supposed to be like that! That only happened in the macabre novels he had in his little collection! He was supposed to easily find Berwald after mistakenly passing by him on a street, make up, and head back to the ship and out at sea together again. But his unwillingness and fantasizing cost Berwald his welfare and possibly his life!

 _Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!_

Despite the numbing sensation coursing through his veins and his body becoming heavy from something that wasn't poison, Tino flitted back to the Draugen in record time. By the time he was on the boarding plank, his tan lace-up boots were dragging, but a light giggle escaped his thin lips and haunted the dark town behind him.

 _I will make him suffer...then I'll kill him…and it'll be oh so slow and painful…_

* * *

Mathias was displeased. The North Sea King and captain of the Draugen was most displeased. Night has already fallen upon them and his ship was still anchored at the dock. They were supposed to set sail by now, but a certain rifleman and new recruit were both missing. He hated to wait.

The sky outside his window looked nearly like molten lava swirling above them with the way the red moon gave off its crimson light and marred the black clouds around it.

He was thrumming his black gloved fingers across his mahogany table impatiently, rocking back dangerously on his chair and having half a mind to abandon them both when someone approached the double doors to his cabin.

"Captain? Oh captain," A light voice sung through the grand doors followed by a gentle knock.

Then suddenly the door handles rattled violently and both doors flew open to reveal one of the missing crew members.

"Yer late, Reaper!"

"I'm going hunting," the man proclaimed, not a bit remorseful for his tardiness.

"What?" Mathias paused. The other wasn't making sense and the tone he was using was one the Dane didn't hear quite often. The shorter figure continued to waltz his way in towards him at his desk, still shrouded in shadows, a pair of glowing eyes the only thing visible. "Hunting? What? Who?"

"Isn't it obvious, captain?" the Reaper giggled. "I'm going after the Red Fraction…Ivan the Terrible of course!"

"What?!" The North Sea King said again, short on vocabulary at the moment. The audacity of his rifleman was getting on his nerves. Not only did he make him wait, but now he wanted to go on a manhunt for one of the most dangerous pirates in all the seven seas?! Even the Dane knew his limits and did not want to engage the other pirate if he didn't have to. A hand subconsciously went up to his right eye covered by the eye patch; he was still bitter and hesitant from their whole fiasco last time. Last time he nearly lost his best rifleman to that bastard! "Yer outta yer mind, Reaper! Has the Queen of Blades' poison done somethin' to your head?!"

By now his subordinate was right in front of him, separated only by the width of the desk and stepping into the square of crimson light pouring in from the window and red moon outside.

The air in the room suddenly became thick with bloodlust.

One look at the man and the captain was silenced.

The Reaper's eyes bled violet mania, a smile showing too much teeth and too wide on that porcelain face.

Indeed, the man has lost his mind.

"Have you noticed someone missing from the ship, captain?" the Reaper asked innocently, eyes bright and staring intensely at the taller blond…never blinking. "Do you know why he hasn't come back yet?"

Mathias knew the answer to one of those questions and had an idea for the other, but dared not say a word.

"Ivan has him now…whisked him away last night," He made a motion with his hand and his tone was playful, but those words were spat out.

The North Sea King's remaining blue eye widened at this. "That bastard has Ber?! But how…? I told everyone to return to the ship before the sun sets!" He scowled at the other still smiling unnaturally at him. "That idiot blatantly disobeyed me, and now he went and got himself captured!" Mathias cussed, pounding a fist onto the valuable desk.

"We should get him back, shouldn't we?"

The captain was at a loss for words, utterly conflicted. But after a quick assessment he shook his head vehemently. He had to cut his losses, no matter how painful. "No, he isn't worth it…that's what he deserves for going against my orders…" No matter how tempting the Swede was, the captain wasn't going to throw away half his men and even his own life for him. "We'll be headed for-" A hand violently grabbed him by the red and blue striped lapel of his coat and pulled him out of his seat and down to fully meet purple madness.

"I'm so sorry, captain, but perhaps you misunderstood me," the Reaper cooed, never letting his hold on the other slack. The red light filtering in only amplified his murderous intentions. "But I said _I_ wanted to go hunting – I will kill Ivan this time, with or without your approval."

Mathias glared at his subordinate, but it was weak compared to that demented gaze. "Are ya saying-"

"I really think you should reconsider your action, captain," the rifleman smiled sweetly at the Dane. "You should really join in the fun, don't you think?" He kept the taller blond close to him, framing the subject so that it sounded more alluring to the captain. "Ivan ran off with one of your 'belongings.' I want to show that bastard what happens when he steals your treasure like that,"

Now this piqued Mathias' interest.

"Surely you can't let this slide," the Reaper giggled wickedly. "I will strip the flesh right off their very bones, hollow out their skulls, and paint your name with their blood for you, captain."

This declaration of loyalty and bloodshed roused the North Sea King greatly, unaware that such devotion and servitude was actually directed at another in the Reaper's mind.

But the Finn didn't stop there, however. No, he wanted to completely seal this deal. And so with a smirk he added one last bit to motivate his captain. "I understand your reluctance to go after Ivan, I really do…He truly is a frightening foe," he started slowly. "But if you won't go out and retrieve your dear Ber…I will, and claim him as my own," He licked his lips hungrily then, never breaking eye contact with the other. "I'm sure his flesh and moans will be so sweet-"

"Like hell you will!" Mathias batted the rifleman's hand away from him at that last comment, relinquishing the tight hold on his black coat. The gold chain and necklace clinked and the mermaid lamp resting on his desk nearly knocked over from the wild movement. He snarled threateningly at the Reaper as he said "He's my catch, ya hear me?! I won't let ya have him…We're goin' after the Red Fraction immediately!"

Thoroughly satisfied with this response, the shorter male eased himself off the desk and away from the North Sea King, smirking still. "Aye aye, captain."

Mathias glared daggers at the man's retreating back. Yet at the same time, he completely loved the way his Reaper's bloodlust has reawakened. The other's need to kill was greater than ever before and he himself got excited because of it. The prospect of seeing such carnage against his long-standing enemy sent exhilarating chills down his spine. He also noted that although Berwald could now quell the Reaper's fury, his disappearance and harm easily brought about said wrath as well...How incredibly convenient. The blond captain was sure to put this knowledge into practical use. Plus, agreeing on this manhunt would strengthen the rifleman's loyalty to him – he would owe him for this feat.

The only thorn at his side was the last thing the Reaper said. That and this whole situation in general pointed to the possibility that the Swede meant a lot more to the rifleman than he previously had thought. Berwald has become the object of the Reaper's affection.

This didn't sit well with the Dane. Not one bit. He scowled deeply. It raised questions and concerns in and of itself, but he refused to take this lying down.

 _I won't lose to you…_

Mathias could settle with losing something that was his…but having it taken right underneath him by a subordinate crossed the line! Normally he would execute a crewmate for even fathoming the idea, but the Reaper was a rare exception. The man was his best and longest-standing rifleman. The Reaper was a symbol of the Draugen's strength, a stark reminder to everyone as to why they were feared...their best deadman. Next to his own flesh and blood, the Reaper was the one he could turn to and trusted the most.

But not anymore.

This rescue mission would accomplish many things, his own agenda to gain Berwald's favor being one of them. No, there was nothing to worry about - he has the platinum blond beat by a long shot...He wasn't a threat. The Finn still served under him after all, and he certainly wouldn't disobey his captain's orders.

* * *

Once the Draugen made a sharp turn left in the direction the Red Fraction was last seen heading in, the Reaper situated himself on the deck and stared out at the sea, hands clutching on the rails.

The crimson moon in the fiery sky above him continued to shine vibrantly, casting its light onto the water and creating rivers of blood to flow on the ocean's surface.

The whole scene was so beautiful and only succeeded in fueling the wrath within the rifleman. He was already seeing so much red, the color reflecting in his amethyst eyes. "Wait for me, Berwald..." he muttered, hoping the wind would carry his message to his beloved.

 _Once I kill him, I'll find my way to you_

A maniacal laugh accompanied the crashing waves below them, echoing throughout the Draugen, into the deep, and beyond the blood red horizon.


	27. Heathens

**Song Title: Heathens** by **Twenty One Pilots**

* * *

It was cold.

But there was consciousness and breathing.

He was alive.

… _?_

Berwald woke up to a throbbing headache and in a place that was far from comfortable. The unfamiliar room framed by black wooden walls was spacious and unfurnished, a barred window accompanying him from behind and wrought-iron cell bars greeting him in the front. The cell was barely lit, a lamp hanging just outside on the wall opposite from him and out of reach beyond the cell bars. In combination with the natural sunlight streaming through the small window next to him, the lamplight revealed similar holding cells lined up on the other side of the hallway he was in.

 _Where am I? Ow!…My head…_

A hand automatically went around the back of his skull to nurse the bruise there. He had gotten up too quickly and his head punished him just as swiftly. But he was up now from the wooden floor whose edges were home to a variety of grimy mold invading his space like overgrown vines.

He grunted in pain and inhaled sharply when he tried to stretch himself because of the odd way his body was displaced. The area between his shoulders began to smart and it all came back to him. The last thing the Swede remembered doing was fighting off Ivan the Terrible in a dark street.

 _Did he? Is this…?_

Slowly Berwald made his way to the barred window in an attempt to get his bearings. Only a canvas of sky and sea was framed by the window – they were no longer docked in the town with the bell tower. A sudden chill ran down his spine that was colder than the cell he was in and replaced the thrumming pain in his back and head.

He has been taken prisoner aboard the Red Fraction without any means to return to Tino and the Draugen.

Was Tino even awake yet from the poison's effect? Was he aware of his disappearance?

…

Something else hit him then.

Did Tino even care about him anymore...?

Berwald had no idea how much time has passed since his fight with his captor and had no way to tell given his disposition.

But if there was one thing he knew, it was that he had to find a way off this ship and back into the arms of his beloved to make amends.

"H-He's already awake," A shaky voice Berwald couldn't recognize flowed down the hallway and into his cell. It belonged to a young boy only a few years older than Peter, who was trembling uncontrollably on the other side of his cell. The blond could hardly look at Berwald with those quivering lavender-colored eyes.

"Oh dear, seems like our guest has a phenomenal recovery rate," the blond next to the young boy commented mildly. This man appeared fascinated if anything, peering at the Swede over a pair of square glasses with observant blue eyes. "How interesting…"

"Perhaps it's because you were able to treat his wounds so well, Eduard," The last and tallest figure came in and appeared in front of Berwald's cell gate. This stranger's expression was neutral albeit more serious than the other two's. Forest-green eyes gazed at the captive warily, a hand going up to card through shoulder-length brown hair.

 _Eduard?_

"W-We should let the captain know immediately,"

The trio of pirates stood before Berwald, all peering at him as if he was some animal locked in a cage. They wore casual working linen shirts and brown breeches, fatigue set in all their features.

"Perhaps not now – the Sleeping Dragon should be arriving shortly."

As if on cue, from a distance they could hear the splitting of waves signaling the approach of a large ship.

"Speak of the devil..." the tallest one commented before taking off, the shortest one following suit without sparing another glance at their captive.

This left the third pirate by his lonesome on the other side of the cell.

Berwald continued to eye said blond for his attention. Surely this was the man Tino spoke of – the one who freed him. He could only hope that the other would do the same for him.

The bespectacled pirate seemed to understand his silent plea, or at least register that the Swede wanted something out of him. "Seems like I won't have to check up on your wounds after all," he spun around in his worn-out brown boots.

"Wait!"

"We can talk in a little bit while they're busy exchanging goods and information with the captain's ally," Eduard offered before disappearing from the frame of the cell gate and up to the deck of the Red Fraction.

The momentum of the ship slowed, stalling in the water in order for the other ship to catch up to them.

Soon enough from his window, the only connection he had to the outside world, Berwald saw the figurehead of a large dragon peeking into view from his right.

In an intimidating display of craftsmanship and might, fire spewed from the Oriental dragon's jaw, the smell of kerosene burning suffocating and flames so hot Berwald could feel it from where he was standing behind the iron bars as it passed him by. The ship continued to sail past his window, parallel to the Red Fraction to reveal its hull painted gold.

 _Are they attacking?_

He hoped that was the case, since then he could use the chaos as a means to escape.

As the Sleeping Dragon careened forward, Berwald caught glimpses of the other pirate crew - most of them were calm, stern, and their expression inscrutable. Majority of the ship's crew members' hair were a raven-black color and they possessed weapons Berwald has never seen before, the blades tempered and shaped differently than that of a cutlass. Angling himself against the window and looking up, he got a better look at the bright flags flowing along the sides of the ship. Unique sails of red and yellow unfurled and looked like the frills of a serpent. Eventually the oncoming vessel made a complete stop next to them.

Berwald could not make out what was happening on the upper floors of the ship, but there weren't any signs of a battle or struggle. In fact, it was relatively quiet, and only when he craned his head to the far side of the window and looked diagonally could he see boarding planks set up from both parties so that the ships were connected.

 _What are they doing? Oh what does it matter?!_

Berwald came up to the wrought-iron cell bars for the first time, grabbing on and trying to pry the gate open by its hinges. But no matter how violently the bars shook, the groan of metal clanging and echoing down the empty hallway, the cell door would not give way. Silently seething, he turned towards the window again, hoping to rip apart the bars there and jump into the ocean below, but found that the window was far too small to squeeze through. "Damn it!" he cussed aloud, pounding his fists against the iron bars.

Indistinct chatter broke out above him on the deck followed by footsteps and the sound of something heavy being lugged across the floor.

Caught up in his own distraught, Berwald didn't notice the pirate from before returning to his cell.

"Already up and trying to break out? You're just like him…" The blond named Eduard came up to the other side of Berwald's cell.

"…"

"You're the new member of the Draugen, correct? The Lion of the North? You've been knocked out cold for about a day and a half now," He readjusted the glasses on his face, blue eyes soft and empathetic. "I'm sorry to say I don't know what plans our captain has for you…"

Berwald's glare hardened.

"He's difficult to read; you never know what's going on in that man's head…you don't want to, actually…" he added as an afterthought, visibly shivering. When the captive in front of him didn't say anything, Eduard took it as a sign to explain to the Swede his situation and exactly who his captor was.

The man before Berwald was very knowledgeable and sophisticated for a pirate.

Apparently, the way the Red Fraction came to be stemmed from its captain's harsh childhood. Ivan and his two sisters suffered from an abusive and alcoholic father who drove their mother into an early grave. One day the young Ivan simply snapped and killed his father, running off to steal the ship the murdered man worked on and taking his sisters with him.

"Ever since then, he's developed a habit of kidnapping people who catches his eye…my friends and I included…" The blond in front of Berwald bowed his head in defeat. It was obvious he was coerced into serving his captain and the Swede felt for him – he was in a similar situation. "I don't want that for those he brings on against their will…but the man runs this ship with an iron fist, his sisters making sure we're all kept in line…Uprisings and mutinies are quickly dealt with and made an example of." It was then that Eduard looked directly at Berwald, knowing this part would intrigue the taller blond. "And then the Reaper came along, and the captain has become obsessed with him ever since-"

A wisp of cold air silenced the man outside the cell.

"How is our guest doing, Eduard?" A light voice floated down the hallway before the man in question appeared next to his subordinate. He smiled at both of them, deceptively gentle.

"H-He just woke up…he doesn't need any further treatments," Eduard stuttered.

"Ah, wonderful! Then your job here is done then, yes?"

"...Yes." Eduard got the hint and gave the captive one last apologetic look before scurrying off. He wouldn't be able to help this one escape like he did for the Reaper…

"Do you like your new home?" Ivan directed his attention back to his captive, smiling at him eagerly. "I even gave you the cell with the nice window!"

The scowl returned to Berwald's face in full effect.

"Aww don't look at me like that," the large man pouted, his face so close to the cell bars now. "Although it is a nice look you got there; I just wanted to talk."

The Swede dared to step forward and meet the madman's gaze. There was nothing more he could do than hear the other out.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I think a new approach should be taken to befriend you…to have you work under me, yes?" He grinned sadistically before dramatically sighing. "Seeing as though my previous attempts with ReeRee ended disastrously! Oh, but it's not like he's a stranger to pain or anything,"

 **Bam!**

Like a caged lion, Berwald was upon the cell's wrought-iron bars, arms just out of reach of the man's throat. He resorted to gripping and twisting the metal bars instead. "What did ya do ta him?!"

Ivan, satisfied he got such a reaction from his stoic captive, chose to ignore the man's question and instead persisted "Won't you abandon the Draugen and come work for me instead? I promise I'll pay you handsomely-"

"Never!" he roared.

"Ahh, it seems your loyalty lies beyond material gains," the captor noted and tilted his head to the side. "The North Sea King is so lucky to have such loyal men under him," His smile twisted then as cold violet eyes bore into Berwald's own livid cyan ones. "Did you know? That's a pirate's greatest treasure – loyal and talented men. With that, the gold and fame comes easily…and I'm after one of the greatest treasures in the seven seas."

Berwald was beginning to realize his part in this madman's scheme.

"Yes, ReeRee is indeed one of the most valuable man a pirate captain can wish for – his bounty says it all. I just don't understand why he wants to stay with the North Sea King when he can do so much better!" Ivan sighed dramatically. "He ran away from me once to go back to that accursed Draugen even when I took him out to the snow up north! It took him only one week to do it all by himself too...along with half of my men dead in the process. And then after that when I came to see him myself, he still managed to make it back through the winter storms..." He cracked a smile then. "But that's okay; I'll make him see…I'll make him see who he really is! Then he'll have to stay with me and we'll be the best of friends!"

 _What is he on about?_

Berwald grimaced. Why would Tino ever want to acquaint himself with this madman?

"Oh, you didn't know?" Ivan seemed to have read his thoughts through his intimidating glare. "ReeRee may look like an angel with that face, but he's actually a real demon," he explained giddily, getting excited from the mention of the rifleman's true nature. "Perhaps you haven't been on board long enough to see the carnage he wreaks upon his enemies."

Berwald has indeed seen more than his fair share of the slaughter the Finn was capable of, but he never thought of that as the real Tino.

 _It's because they always force his hand…_

Or at least, that's what he wanted to believe. The captain of the Red Fraction was making it hard to hold onto this belief.

"ReeRee has a mind more shattered than my own, his cruelty limitless," The depraved smile on Ivan's face never left him and only grew in strength. "He just happens to be better at hiding it than most. Oh yes," he hissed. "He's ridiculously good at keeping that monster inside of him – doesn't he just look so sweet and innocent?!" Ivan the Terrible practically squealed, the sound ending up turning into a snarl by the time it fully left his throat, hands coming up to his face again as if trying to contain his own bloodlust. "I could never quite replicate that angelic look, you know…Along with that mask he's always wearing, it's no wonder ReeRee hasn't been found and caught as many times as he should with the bounty on his head."

The conversation was completely one-sided, Berwald having nothing to say. It wasn't what he wanted to hear about his beloved, yet the details drew him in like the sirens.

"He's clever indeed, making such great friends like you!" Ivan pouted then, the look anything but adorable. It didn't belong with those depraved set of eyes. "It's not fair...how can someone who has probably killed more than I have have more friends? And maybe even someone who's more than just a friend...?" The man eyed his captive knowingly.

Berwald stiffened at the notion.

Despite his ravings, the pirate captain in front of him was dangerously perceptive.

 _...Does he know…?_

"Oh, oh!" Ivan got excited again, shifting his weight to and fro on his feet, a hand coming off the cane's handle to pull on his long scarf. "Let me show you what ReeRee gave to me!"

As the cloth fell away, it revealed to him mangled, bumpy skin. The scars ran deep and wide, like permanent, red crescent moons embedded into the pale flesh speckled with puncture wounds. A searing band coiling all the way around his neck led Berwald to believe that the rifleman had tried to choke the man to death.

"I'm sure he was going to miss me, because he also ripped out one of my ribs as a keepsake! He was trying to go for my heart, but I couldn't let him have that unfortunately." Ivan wrapped the scarf snuggly around his neck again when Berwald was finished being disgusted with the display. "I returned his gift in kind and gave him a nice scar across his chest where his heart is… along with many others," he smirked.

The Swede remembered that distinctive scar on his lover's body and he growled out "You-!"

"A fun thing I found out about ReeRee," Ivan cut him off right there. "Is that he doesn't die easily…no, far from it. I tried everything I could think of on him while I kept him here with me,"

The grip around the iron bars tightened, Berwald's knuckles turning white from hearing the other's stories of torture against the poor Finn. He never wanted to maim someone so badly in his life before.

"And I believe that only a direct hit to his heart, the slitting of his throat, or a bullet through his brain will kill him – anything short of that and he'll get right back up!" Ivan tapped his chin curiously with his index finger, leaning dangerously close to the cell and his captive's ferocious face. "Too bad I missed that chance a while ago,"

The bars of the cell gate shook violently, Berwald wanting so badly to reach out and tear the man apart himself for what he's done, his anger nearly boiling over.

Ivan the Terrible only grew more amused and continued playfully "You shouldn't grow too attached to him, you know…ReeRee is known as a 'deadman' – someone who should've died long ago but clawed his way out from hell to walk the earth again and again. And for people like him, it is only when they are in the heat of battle, on the brink of death and knee-high in blood that they truly feel alive. You can tell these deadmen apart from the rest once you've seen enough of them."

The captive unfortunately had an idea of what the other was referring to. That look of insanity, the reckless attitude, the glint in their eyes that screamed for murder...the North Sea King and Captain Kirkland both suited those descriptions quite nicely. The man in front of him was definitely one of them and probably the worst one yet; at least the others he have met tried to hide their broken minds from the world to some degree. But not this man – he wore it like the medallions on his tan coat for all to see and fear. But was Tino really like Ivan at all?

 _No!_ Berwald forced himself to think that way.

"We don't fight and kill for money or glory…but because we need to. We've lost all other meaning in life a long time ago…we really have no reason left to live actually…We long to die…"

Dreadfully, Ivan's mad words were starting to make sense.

Was that why Tino was always so suicidal in what he did? Was that why his words were always so morbid?

The memory of when his beloved smiled as he threw himself in front of the blade for him ran through his mind.

"It's funny really, because although we wish to die, we can't do it alone. That would be boring, yes?" Ivan smiled cruelly. "We need someone to take down with us to hell, or at least play with us before we go. The world is so cold and dreary, but when I play with ReeRee, I feel alive again!" he exclaimed exuberantly, a spring in his steps as he paced back and forth in front of Berwald. "Lone Star is also a good playmate, but he's still a bit too young. No, it can only be ReeRee…that's why I want him here." The pirate captain suddenly turned to his captive then, studying him keenly. Those eyes were glinting mischievously. "That's why I brought you here – you're the key, friend."

Berwald couldn't help his cyan eyes from widening. He should've known! How could he let himself get captured like this?!

"You share a very special bond with ReeRee, don't you? I want both of you to be my friends. I want us to live again…because if ReeRee isn't fighting, he's just a shell of a person." His violet eyes were dark as they bore into Berwald's soul, daring him to deny this fact. "You can see it in his eyes, can't you? Sometimes it seems as though they're stuck in the past, and only when the spark of battle reaches them do they truly come to life."

Unfortunately, he understood his captor. The soulless expression Tino donned sometimes when the others weren't looking, those hollow and dull eyes staring out at nothing...Berwald saw it all.

But lately those amethyst orbs shone for him; they were alive when they saw him, when they loved him.

It was then, in the bleakest of moments when Berwald was held against his will once more that he refused to allow a few words from his captor or his own guilt break him and his newly-forged love.

No…his love for Tino has been long in the making, tempered and tested by time, blood, the grueling sea, the life of piracy, and his own self-doubts. Ivan could say anything and everything he wanted about his beloved, but it would never sway his feelings for the Finn. He loved every bit of Tino – his kindness and his madness. Just like how Tino loved every part of him – his past profession, present situation, and future life together with him.

And once he got out of this horrid place, he was sure as hell going to tell the other how he felt after being separated on such bad terms.

Berwald inhaled deeply, and when he breathed out, he tried to release all the tension and suspicion lingering in his mind and body. He continued to glare at his captor sternly over wire-rimmed glasses, but his black gloved hands were no longer grasping the iron bars, leaning away from the man who was idly spinning his silver cane in his hand. He would no longer let the other have the satisfaction of playing with his mind and remained deathly silent.

"He'll be following me," Ivan said with conviction, never taking his eyes off the blond. The depraved, childish grin returned in full swing. "Death comes to all, and I have a good feeling he'll visit me very soon."

The sun was bleeding red and orange onto the ocean's surface before finally laying to rest and giving way to night behind Berwald through his little window of freedom.

* * *

 **Endnotes:**

 **The Sleeping Dragon -** The name of the pirate ship belonging to Yao and his crew and siblings. The name is influenced by one of China's greatest strategists of all time - Zhuge Liang, courtesy name Kongming. He was nicknamed "Crouching Dragon" by many and so I took a derivative of that; I like to think that Yao would be proud to name his ship that :D

I also want to take the time again to thank you all so much for your love and support! It really makes my day to know that you are enjoying the story; having it read by you wonderful people is an honor, really! And I hope you'll stick with me til the very end, so until the next chapter, take care!


	28. Are You Dead Yet?

**Song Title: Are You Dead Yet?** by **Children of Bodom**

* * *

"This is close enough."

Emil didn't question the rifleman's judgment and stopped rowing the small boat sent out ahead of the Draugen as to not alert the members of the Red Fraction of their encroaching presence.

When the North Sea King first made his speech and declaration of their pursuit of the infamous ship, some of the men were dubious. Their defeat by the other ship's hand the last time they fought left a bitter taste in their mouths. But a maddening voice and one look at the Reaper's face and they were motivated, their morale high. They were convinced that the time has come to take their revenge and bring down the Red Fraction once and for all, all of them wanting to see the Reaper in action. At that moment the rifleman had more influence over the men than the captain himself.

As soon as this was settled and the Red Fraction in sight, the black vessel going separate ways from the Sleeping Dragon, under the cover of night the two set out with a couple of rifles on board their small boat to remain undetected. The water below them, black as tar and streaked with moonlight still dyed a crimson color, was unusually calm and lapped quietly against the boat's hull.

The Reaper's haunting violet eyes still glowed in the limited lighting as he picked up a rifle and took aim. The man didn't even bother to hide his face behind his skull mask at this point.

"The one in the crow's nest is getting up now," the Deacon confirmed to his companion, bronze telescope in hand to help the other find his targets. "Two watchkeepers on each side of the deck and one behind the steering wheel."

The Reaper smiled widely at the intelligence, standing up on the boat and angling his rifle appropriately before setting off the first shot. "They all seem so tired; I'll put them to sleep for all eternity."

 **Bang!**

The shot didn't sound off too loudly, spanning across the vast expanse of ocean all around them.

The fellow in the crow's nest went down first, falling back without even knowing what bore through his skull. Then the rest of the pirates on the deck were taken out quickly. The one-man barrage was done by the Reaper alternating between the rifles, handing off the freshly fired one to Emil to reload and soon the sea was silent again.

When this was done and the enemy watch taken down, the second mate rowed them closer so that his companion could board via grappling hook. "Once I return to the Draugen, she will be charging in at full sails. A squall is comin' around so we'll catch up with you in no time - try to hold out until then."

"Excellent. Thank you, Emil," the rifleman said before preparing to pull himself up onto the Red Fraction.

"Give 'im a solid hit on the nose for me, yeah?"

At this request the Reaper's grin widened unnaturally, teeth gleaming in the moonlight. "Oh I can guarantee you so much more." Armed with a slew of instruments of destruction including his trusty flintlock pistols, two loaded rifles strapped across his back and cutlass at his waist, it was time for death to greet the members of the Red Fraction personally.

* * *

"Oi, I need another lager!" An irate and clearly drunk member of the Red Fraction hollered at anyone who would listen to him squabble. Handling their latest captive was wearing down on his nerves and he desperately needed something to lift his spirits.

But the corridor the pirate was in was silent as a grave, devoid of any signs of life and his fellow crewmates. There was no one to respond to his whining.

"Hey! Did any of ya-!" As he rounded a corner in the dimly lit hallway, a shadow reached out and pulled him into a deadly hold, muffling his shouts with a cold hand.

"You're not him." It simply stated.

The Red Fraction member's eyes widened and he panicked when he saw why nobody paid him any heed – they were all piled up and slumped along the walls behind the marauder, decaying. "Mmmmph!"

"Where is your captain?" The stranger asked nicely, tone too sweet and innocent as his arm snaked around his victim's neck. Slowly he released the hand over the other's mouth.

"He's here! The Reaper's-!"

 **Crack!**

With a quick and harsh twist, the Finn snapped the drunkard's neck before dropping the corpse and adding it to the growing collection he had behind him. "You won't tell me either…what a shame…"

"There he is!"

The Red Fraction crew was expecting him, and the moment they heard their crewmate's dying words, they were upon the Reaper from both ends of the hall.

"Get him!"

"Oh, what's this?" Chains were thrown at him from either side and caught his wrists. They pulled and pulled on him, threatening to rip him in half right down the middle. But during the whole struggle the Reaper only giggled. "Oh my, there are so many of you! I don't know who to kill first," The chains rattled when the madman pulled both ends in one simple jerk towards himself, causing some of the men to trip over the bodies of their comrades, slipping on the blood that stained the black wood. He then drifted towards his next victim, mercilessly slaughtering them one by one in the narrow hallway with his cutlass. Using the chains around his wrists as an extension of his hands, he lashed out with them, grazing skin and stripping flesh off of bone when the chance presented itself.

After witnessing their fellow crew members drop like flies, some of the pirates in the back made for the captain's cabin to inform him of his "guest."

"Gaah!"

"Oh no, leaving so soon?" The Reaper reeled in one unfortunate pirate who was a bit too slow on his feet with the chains on his wrists. "Aren't you going to tell me where you're all going? I would very much like to know where my friend is," But when this fellow didn't tell him anything new, just some death threats and comments about his looks, he sent him off to the afterlife via the metal links that coiled around his throat. As soon as the last breath of life escaped his victim, the platinum blond carried on down the desolate hallway, his black long coat with the tattered ends licking the blood off his victims' corpses as he passed them by.

"Ivan…where are you?" He sung aloud, hearing his own light voice echo hauntingly throughout the large area he was in now. "Show yourself so you can die!"

It became apparent he came across a storage room, filled with goods varying from liquor to…

 _Hmm?_

The smell of gunpowder was a dead giveaway – in the far back corner of the room were crates full of unique-looking explosives.

 _Most likely a gift from the Sleeping Dragon_

"!"

A brilliant and fun idea came to the Reaper's mind, and his face couldn't help but split itself into a devious grin.

* * *

"The Red Fraction's dead ahead!" Emil announced from his crow's nest, his pet puffin resting on his shoulder.

"Squawk! Dead ahead!"

"We'll be upon them in a few minutes," Lukas confirmed, turning to his older brother.

"Heh? Ain't it weird that they ain't firin' at us yet? Are they asleep or somethin'?" Mathias made a motion with his hand in an attempt to see better in the night sky.

"I believe some of them are indeed sleeping…forever…" the first mate commented grimly. "They must have their hands full with the Reaper,"

"Makes our job easier; I don't see why yer complaining," the second mate shouted down to him.

This made the captain smile. "That a boy, ReeRee!"

 **Boom!**

A different type of fire broke out than what the members of the Draugen were expecting. A fierce explosion coming from the lower parts of the Red Fraction blew a hole out of the black ship's hull. Dark splinters and pieces of the ship shot out as a result and splashed into the briny deep, sending out ripples caught by the red moon's light.

"Well aren't they just havin' all sorts of fun over there!" Mathias whistled. "C'mon men, we don't wanna be late to the party, right?!"

"YEAH!" The display ignited something within the members of the Draugen and they were more than ready to fight the moment their ship caught up to their target, the bow of the Draugen with its leviathan figurehead ramming into the other vessel already thrown in chaos.

"Give 'em hell, boys! Attack! Attack!"

* * *

 _What's going on out there?!_

After a loud explosion nearly blew out his eardrums, the ship he was on rocked violently to one side and the floor beneath Berwald's feet shook and rumbled like a mini earthquake. He could hear clamor and heavy footsteps thudding on the dark wood above him, but couldn't see anything in the dim cell he was still imprisoned in. The sun was completely gone from his window now, replaced by a crimson moon and its red light.

"We're under attack!"

"It's the Draugen!"

"They'd chase after us?!"

 _Tino?_

Berwald ran up to the bars of his cell gate, trying desperately to get a better view of the hallway for any passersby.

 **Boom!**

A second, smaller explosion came after the initial one but was much closer to the Swede, blasting a hole in the left wall of the prison cell he was kept in. The splintered wood caught on fire and turned to ash, revealing the empty prison cell neighboring his and a burning inferno on the other side that was also his way out of here.

Seizing this opportunity to escape, the blond didn't hesitate to jump through the maw of the newly-made escape route, a small plank of wood falling onto his shoulder and singeing the flesh there in the process. The ends of his beige coat also got burnt by the fire raging around him as he rummaged his way out into the smoky hallway, doing his best not to inhale the suffocating fumes.

"I figured the explosions would reach here," A voice and figure blocked Berwald's path to freedom.

The person before him was not who he wanted to see; he didn't recognize this woman.

Her blond hair was short, only running down to frame her innocent round face and blue eyes, the golden locks held back by a jeweled headband. She wore a long and dark military coat that barely did anything to cover her bountiful bosom beneath a white blouse. A black tie and matching hat completed the look. She was smiling sheepishly at him, but something impish lurked beneath those blue orbs as they stared the captive down.

The tall woman raised the pitchfork in her white gloved hands in the bespectacled man's direction, ready to skewer him. "Brother warned me you would try to leave. I'm sorry, but I can't allow that."

* * *

"The initial explosion came from the lower levels of the ship; she's taking significant damage and the strings of explosions have not stopped..." the Queen of Blades reported to her captain and brother. She was grinding her teeth as she snarled "Our men aren't doing a damn thing about it! Shall I go punish them?"

"No, they don't deserve it this time." Ivan answered darkly as they walked down the deserted hallway. A lot of the crew members were occupied on the deck holding off the oncoming pirates boarding their slowly sinking vessel. "This is all because a little mouse happened to sneak on board," The fact excited and angered him at the same time and it was an exhilarating feeling. He needed more of it.

"They weren't supposed to be upon us so soon…damn him!" Natalya cursed the Reaper's name for the umpteenth time.

"Excellent." Ivan merely grinned from ear to ear, his violet eyes flashing in the lowly lit hallway. "But I must wonder…where is he? Surely he would be looking for me the first thing he boards, yes?"

"Death is closer than you think." A third voice joined them.

"Heehee-" Ivan chocked on his giggles.

Just as the siblings passed by a closed room, one of many lining the corridor, a hand bursted through the wooden door and clawed around the Red Fraction's captain's neck.

"Knock, knock!" The rest of the Reaper appeared through the torn down door and into the hallway, still holding the taller pirate by the throat.

"ReeRee!" Ivan greeted ecstatically through clenched teeth and a wheezy breath. His smile grew ever wider as he struggled under the other's hold.

"So good to see you again, old friend." The Finn returned the man's depraved smile with his own, his grip around him tightening until he saw him turning blue.

"Back off!" Natalya was by Ivan's side in a heartbeat and threw a barrage of knives. She only succeeded in releasing her brother, however.

Ivan slumped to the floor for a moment to catch his breath, losing it to the bouts of giggles he was having.

The Reaper didn't bother to move from his spot when the remaining blades flew towards his direction, raising a corpse in front of him that he has been dragging around for a while now. The corpse took all the hits for him like a shield before he tossed it aside, the body landing on the floorboards with a hollow thud. The chains still around his wrists clinked from the movement. "Funny thing, I came across your supply of vodka on my way here and set it all on fire just to make this happen,"

 **Boom!**

Another explosion rumbled below them.

"I know how you always like the warmth, so I thought I'd grant you your wish and bring the summer heat right here to you on your ship!" The Reaper winked and blew the taller male a kiss. "Think of it as my gift to you,"

Ivan's smile fell as he stared into equally manic violet eyes, face warping into a deep scowl. "You shouldn't have done that." It was one thing to have his ship blown out of the water, but no one tampered with his alcohol! And using one to destroy the other was simply unforgiveable.

The Draugen's rifleman was getting a kick out of the other's reaction, knowing what ticked him off. "Aww don't be mad, Ivan," he cooed. "We're still friends, aren't we?"

"Until the very bloody end," Ivan confirmed, his hysterical smile returning as he turned to his sister. "Do not interfere, Natalya. That is an order."

"But brother-!"

"I want him for myself."

The Reaper's soft chuckle turned into a mad cackle as he stared at his target with murderous intent. "Yes, it's just you and me! I can't wait to have your skull hanging on my wall to laugh at for years to come!"

"By the time I'm through with you, there won't be anything left for the ravens to peck at," Ivan replied back, ready to smite the other with his cane.

Twin flintlock pistols were drawn and ready to fire - he has been saving these for the other. "I'll be sure to rip your heart clean out this time."

"And I'll return the favor - we both don't need them anyway, correct?"

 **Bang!**

The first shot resonated down the hallway as it easily landed on the giant of a man swiftly closing the distance between them. The narrow corridor soon lost its advantage and became dangerous when there was no space to move away and the captain of the Red Fraction was upon the Reaper.

The bullet that bit his left shoulder did nothing to slow his charge towards his friend trying to create distance between them. "Let's play, ReeRee!" Ivan exclaimed excitedly as he grabbed the other in a crushing bear hug before tossing him high into the air - so high that the Finn crashed the ceiling and broke through it and onto the deck.

"Guh!" The Reaper spat out some blood onto the black wood, the force knocking the wind out of him as he struggled to get up with his forearms. The smile never left his face. "Such a nice way to welcome me,"

Too anxious to continue their little game, Ivan followed suit and jumped through the hole he just made on his own ship.

"Brother!" Natalya was just about to head out onto the deck to join him when a voice stopped her.

"Oh there you are, princess!" The North Sea King casually made his way down the hall, long pole axe over his shoulder. "Fancy meetin' you here,"

"You..." The Queen of Blades readied herself, wanting to kill the bastard in front of her as quickly as possible to return to her beloved brother's side.

* * *

Now out in the open on the deck, the fire from below was slowly making its way up and engulfed the bow of the Red Fraction in flames. A storm brewed over them, throwing sheets of rain onto them that wasn't enough to put out the raging fire and anger on the ship. Thick black clouds blotted out the blood red moon and stars, snuffing out the crimson light and enshrouding the ships in near total darkness. Not even the heavens could bear witness to this battle on the high seas.

The Reaper and Ivan the Terrible circled around each other like wolves on the deck, waiting for an opening. The ends of their respective long coats fluttered violently behind them from the harsh winds.

"Let's dance, shall we?"

"After you,"

A swing from strong arms was useless if the target was agile and quick.

Like a snake, the Reaper slithered away from that silver cane, dodging the attack by a hair's breadth - just the way the rifleman liked it. Once on a particular swing he saw the opportunity to hop over the other, hand on that cold shoulder and using it as leverage to launch himself into the air and behind his opponent.

 **Bang!**

He dispensed the remainder of his rounds into Ivan, who didn't make any effort to dodge them and took all the hits with open arms. None of them hit any vital organs on purpose, but instead only served to cause severe pain and incapacitate its target.

The bullets tore through his tendons and twisted his flesh, drawing blood that soaked through the tan long coat. Ivan loved it...it thrilled him and he wanted so much more. He could tell the sight was exciting his friend as well, whose violet gaze never left him as he landed back on his feet onto the black floorboards of the deck.

Chaos and bright fire swirled all around them, but they couldn't care less.

"This is so much fun!" Ivan barreled towards his friend as soon as he emptied his guns and his cane made contact with flesh and sent the Reaper skidding across the wet floorboards. He followed it up with another swing straight down and into the other's skull, raising the silver weapon high over his head.

 **Clang!**

"Indeed, indeed! And it's gonna be even more fun to watch you grovel!" The Reaper grinned up at him, holding the weapon at bay by crossing his white and royal blue pistols above his head. The sickle handle barely touched his platinum blond hair. A forceful push back against his opponent in combination with a flurry of lashes from the chains around his wrists and he was on his feet again. Not giving the other time to breathe, he slipped around back and grabbed the hefty blond around his torso and lifted him off the ground, suplexing him.

A nasty crunch of bone and splintering of wood was heard on the deck - music to the Reaper's ears.

The silver cane with the hidden blade fell from Ivan's hand upon impact, clattering and sliding away when the ship rocked violently from the churning waves below them. He slowly got up to meet the expecting rifleman in front of him, bleeding from his head.

"Oh good, you can still stand," the Reaper sounded simply ecstatic.

"Just for you, ReeRee," he replied readily. Ivan wasn't unarmed for long.

"Oh, what's this? What's this?" The Finn watched with extreme fascination as his foe opened his mouth and reached down his own gullet to pull out another sword hidden inside his throat. "What a neat little trick! You're just full of surprises, aren't you?"

"Yes, it comes in handy too, don't you think?"

With no bullets left to spare, the Reaper put away his pistols back into their holsters and instead pulled out the cutlass resting at his waist, twirling the handle comfortably in his hand before keeping it poised.

Both deadmen wore a feral grin as they fought, two pairs of violet eyes glowing in the nearby fire on the ship. Peals of thunder were heard throughout the Red Fraction as well as the sound of their blades clashing against each other's, flashing in the lightning.

Waltzing along the deck, the two moved back and forth in a dance of destruction with their weapons swaying this way and that, seeking to cut through flesh and bone.

"Let me take care of that ugly face of yours, friend," In one of their bouts, the Reaper had Ivan right where he wanted him when the other's boot slipped on the wet surface and he flitted forward to slash, ready to slice his head in half horizontally.

But the taller deadman saw the attack in time and caught the blade with his teeth, clenching down on the cutlass to prevent it from going any further. "That's very generous of you, but I'll have to decline," he replied gently, lips moving around the sharp edge and the corner of his mouth bleeding from the effort.

"Aww, what a shame!" The Reaper smiled widely as they struggled, flashing his own teeth at the other. With both hands on the handle he was still trying to press the cutlass further in, pass those set of teeth to splice open his prey's jaw.

The rain continued to pour on them from above, soaking their long coats and seeping into their bones. Not that either of them felt it – they were already cold and dead on the inside. Like wicked, drenched rats they continued to scurry along the deck, trying to kill each other.

Lightning split the dark sky once more, revealing depraved faces with an insatiable hunger for blood and to see the person before them rot.

* * *

"Hmm, your reasoning is quite sound," Katyusha, the woman assigned to keep Berwald in his cell, ended up talking it out with the captive and ultimately agreeing to his idea for a truce between the two pirate crews.

The Swede was very persuasive even with his curt words.

She lowered her pitchfork and readjusted the military hat on her head, peering at the man warmly but warily. "I will have to discuss this with my brother, however. Follow me,"

"Mmh."

The two left the burning hallways of the lower part of the ship and out onto the main deck where the damage was less visible. But all the same the chaos ravaged around them – the center piece of it all standing right in front of them.

 _Tino!_

"Brother!" Berwald heard Katyusha exclaim over the rumbling thunder, rain, and fire.

Ivan and Tino had just leapt and exchanged punches to the jaw, sending them both flying back and motionless on the floorboards for a second.

But it was within that short moment that the Red Fraction groaned from within, sustaining too much damage and leaning heavily to its left, water rushing into its hull and pulling it down into the deep.

"Tino!"

Both the captain of the Red Fraction and the rifleman fell overboard, their bodies sliding off the tilting deck to the side.

 _Oh gods, where is he?!_

Berwald frantically scrambled to the edge of the leaning ship, nearly falling over the rails himself as he peered across the violent ocean below for any signs of life.

"Brother!" Natalya abandoned her fight with the North Sea King altogether when she heard her sister begin to panic.

"Hey! Where do ya think yer goin'?!" Mathias yelled after her, but stopped when he joined some of the other crew members from both the Draugen and Red Fraction herding to one side of the sinking ship. The Dane quickly understood why everyone stopped their own fights – there was a much more exciting one taking place on the water.

Although a fragile peace has been bestowed upon the Red Fraction, it didn't reach the two men out on the ocean, already on their feet and perched on floating planks of debris from the blown ship. They didn't bother trying to make it back on board, the tides and ocean's surface their new arena.

"My, my, seems we've attracted quite a crowd, yes?" Ivan only spared the spectators behind him a passing glance before focusing his attention on the man one driftwood piece away from him.

"Indeed, and we mustn't disappoint them, so let's give them a show they'll never forget!"

This pleased the ashen blond greatly. "Yes, the show must go on!"

A flash of lightning later and the two were leaping from one floating black plank to the next and converged on a board big enough to fit both of them, skirmishing. Their blades sparked and gleamed in the lightning that struck deathly near them in the water.

"Yeah, kill each other!"

The spectating pirates hollered and whistled wildly on the deck, rooting for their respective deadman to win the match.

"Tear 'im apart, Reaper!"

"Show 'em not to mess with us, captain!"

The Queen of Blades, her lips bleeding from watching her brother fight from afar, could no longer stand it and was about to jump off the rails to join him before a tall blond got in her way.

"Uh uh uh, yer goin' nowhere, missy!" Mathias raised his battle axe at the blonde, smirking. "I ain't gonna let yer meddling get in the way of the greatest fight the sea's ever seen,"

"Out of my way-!"

"Or what? You think yer precious brother doesn't stand a chance against my Reaper? Is that it?"

"He doesn't need to deal with scum like you!" Natalya snarled back, ready to poison the Dane standing between her and Ivan. A female voice discouraged her.

"That's enough, sister." Katyusha came up to her younger sibling, a hand on her shoulder.

Natalya scowled at her. "Are you mad?! Brother saved us from that bastard father of ours and this is how you repay him?! Are you just going to watch the damn Reaper kill him?!" The hand on her shoulder squeezed tightly before letting go.

"No, but I'm sure he would be most displeased with you should you try to help him," Her blue eyes bore into Natalya's. "You might get killed if you try anything…and then I will lose both of my siblings," She then pulled the dark coat around herself tighter, her grip on the pitchfork slacking. "Then what will I do?"

The Queen of Blades made no motion to fight anymore, but still looked disapprovingly at everything around her, glaring out at the storm and water with all her black heart.

"Try to have more faith in our brother, he's strong after all."

 _Tch, not as strong as Reaper!_ The North Sea King thought.

Sensing the threat in front of him dissipate, the captain of the Draugen turned back to the action and watched on as the rifleman danced circles around his bulkier opponent, blades flying this way and that. He loved seeing his Reaper go all out – it was something he wouldn't trade a whole chest of gold for.

"C'mon ReeRee, is that the best you got?" Ivan teased, blocking a slash aimed to gut his intestines.

"I was actually going to say the same to you – it's like I'm hacking at a piece of dead meat," the Reaper countered just as playfully.

"That's because I might as well be!"

They had multiple chances to finish the other, but staved it off. Instead, they toyed with each other, offering the smallest opportunity for the other to escape which each took greedily. They were prolonging the battle on purpose, reveling in it and riling their spectators.

A long piece of floorboard they were balanced on split in half from Ivan's blow and separated the two.

Covered in lacerations, his coat and scarf shredded in some areas, Ivan the Terrible said to the other drifting away from him on the wave "Join me, Reaper, and together we'll be unstoppable!" He knew the smaller man could hear him perfectly well over the storm. "The seven seas will be all ours to rule and do with it as we please. With me, you'll get to feel alive again every day as we try to kill each other, always sleeping with one eye open to not fall prey to each other! Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"Hmm," the Reaper hummed, contemplating the idea in his head. His manic smile never wavered.

The owner of the sinking Red Fraction further tried to convince the Finn by saying "I would allow you to kill as many as you please, unlike that captain of yours. No, I won't stop you…far from it," he hissed, getting excited all over again from the possibilities. "I know how to appease your bloodlust, ReeRee. I'm the only one who truly understands you! There's no need to hide it around me…no need to be ashamed of what you really are…embrace it."

"…"

"You are a killer…a deadman…and nothing will ever change that!" Ivan cackled as more lightning struck and splintered the sky. "I know what it's like to be a real deadman; we're much alike you and I!" He didn't give the Reaper anymore time to consider his offer before coming over to his piece of floorboard.

"Look sharp out there, Reaper!"

"Slaughter him!"

The crowd continued to cheer and jeer behind them, watching these two actors on the stage of death and waiting for the curtain to fall on one of them.

The Reaper and Ivan fought with vigor on the choppy waves, neither of them tiring or showing signs of stopping, kicking up broken pieces of the ship towards each other and slicing them in half when it came their way.

"Think about it, ReeRee," Ivan's sword pressed closely up against the rifleman's cutlass, their blades crossed and strained as they each put their weight into it. "You'll be free!"

"Is that how you see it?" The platinum blond sneered before a boot met his stomach and he was kicked off the plank and into the water. He disappeared under the dark waves.

"Reaper!"

"Yeah, that's more like it!"

"Ha, ya think the water will be his grave?"

"It'll be fitting, that's fer sure!"

"Tino!" Berwald's voice was barely audible among all the discordant yelling on the deck, cyan eyes wide with worry as they scanned the tumultuous waves for a sign of his beloved. But all that greeted him was sea mist wetting his face and smearing his glasses.

 _Please be okay, please be okay!_

All alone and marooned in the middle of the unforgiving sea now, the remaining deadman wasn't convinced his opponent sunk to his death just yet. "This is unusual, why isn't he-"

"Watch out, brother!"

The warning came too late and a hand clawed out of the water and reached up from behind, grabbing Ivan's ankle and dragging him down into the murky deep.

"Brother!"

"Yeah!"

"Hey, where'd they go?!"

The spectators couldn't make out what was going on below the black sea where the underwater battle was taking place.

While their champions went missing, the news of a truce reached the North Sea King and he was in a good and compromising mood. The Red Fraction was on the verge of collapsing and they all needed to head to the surviving vessel if they wanted to continue watching the bloodshed on the high tides. And so it was in the spirit of sportsmanship that he allowed everyone from the opposing crew to board the Draugen. If anything, he kept the other crew alive for the sole purpose of rubbing it in their faces once his Reaper executed their captain right before their very eyes.

The light from the fire on the ship above the two deadmen grew dim under the water's surface, the crowd's faces blurry and unrecognizable. But even in the dark water violet eyes glowed. Their movements were much slower in the ocean, feet kicking in order to propel themselves forward and back, blades clashing underwater. This suited them just fine until the need for air became too much and they had to separate, surface, and climb onto something.

"Eh there they are!" The intermission was over and the audience's enthusiasm was back in full swing.

As for Berwald, Natalya, and Katyusha, they were just glad to see their respective loved one alive.

This whole fiasco was giving the Swede more stress than he needed in a lifetime, his heart palpitating with each swing from those blades and dodges that were too close for comfort.

Drenched in rain and ocean water, the two deadmen didn't have a care in the world, exchanging banter and slashes from their weapons they held so tightly onto.

"So what do you say, friend?" Ivan tried one more time. "Care to take up on my generous offer and join me?"

The Reaper smirked, violet eyes glowing. "The only thing I'll be joining you in is death!"

The taller man's patience snapped and grin fell. "Then I'll make that happen sooner than you think!"

He didn't move when Ivan charged at him again and brought the sword over his head. Instead the Finn held his forearm up to block it, as though his flesh could stop the blade.

But it did.

 **Clang!**

"Huh?"

Something clinked from underneath the torn black sleeve – a throwing knife. It belonged to a certain someone and was strapped against the Reaper's forearm like a guard. "I learn from the best…I really should be thanking you and your sister dearest for such a marvelous gift," he winked at a surprised Ivan.

A pained grunt escaped Ivan's lips as a direct swing from the cutlass bit into his chest, twisting into his flesh before he could react. "Heehee, I'm flattered-" The same throwing knife that blocked his blow was now lodged in his stomach, stopping him mid-sentence.

The battle was drawing to its climactic conclusion when the Reaper had Ivan the Terrible on his back against the splintered board from the Red Fraction, the other's head planted firmly under his tan boot, holding him there like an animal ready to be gutted.

It gave the rifleman great satisfaction to hear a shriek coming from the ship – the Queen of Blades'.

"Get off him!" She spat and cursed wildly, her aloof demeanor all but gone. "Ivan!"

"Hmm, should I go for the throat or heart?" He mused aloud for all to hear, skillfully twirling the cutlass in his hand.

"Throat!"

"No, the heart!"

"Both are good options…perhaps I'll rip out one and then the other." The smaller male looked down at his victim. "It's what you want, right?"

Ivan confirmed his assumption by smiling up at him and saying "Do it, friend. Kill me…it's what all us deadmen seek." He didn't try to get up this time; it was pointless and the battle has run its course. It was the best fight he ever had.

"And who am I to deny my friend his death wish?" The Reaper raised his cutlass and looked to the spectators one last time for dramatic effect. "…!" Something made him freeze and his blood run cold…something the rain and storm failed to do.

Among the angry and bloodthirsty faces of the pirates on the deck was a tall figure – the man he has been yearning for these past few days. The man he went mad for when he found out he went missing.

"B-Berwald? I…" Something felt terribly wrong…Tino thought something wasn't right about all this. His wicked smile waned and the cutlass in his hand suddenly weighed a ton. The rowdy crowd melted away and he only saw his beloved leaning over the rail, his cyan eyes wide and reflecting a slew of negative emotions – worry, sorrow, panic, but most prominently of all…fear…

Tino cringed under the gaze.

 _No…don't be upset, Ber_

The pirates continued to scream for murder, the man to be murdered himself included.

"End my miserable life and you will become the most feared pirate the world has ever known!" He egged his executioner on. "Give me the perfect end – the sweet release of death by the hands of the Reaper! Free me from my torment!"

There were not a lot of things the Reaper was afraid of, but those eyes looking at him like that was definitely one of them.

 _Don't hate me, Ber…please don't be afraid_

Tino suddenly felt very small in the vast, dark ocean around him. He knew this was wrong, that he didn't want to do this anymore. Lost, he looked to the bespectacled blond for guidance but at the same time feared being judged by those wavering and frightened eyes.

They didn't want him to kill anymore.

He lowered the cutlass.

"I take no merit in what I have done all these years…or what I've become…" The haze that was madness lifted from Tino's mind – he saw clearly now.

"...What?"

The crews behind them had a more hostile reaction.

"What are ya doin'?!"

"Kill him already!"

"Quit screwin' around!"

They were all white noise as Tino focused his attention on the man lying on the piece of debris.

The waves rolled below them, casting them farther away from the ships.

"In fact, I think I might have deserved all the torture you've put me through…it's like a form of retribution for everything I've done."

"You're not making much sense, ReeRee,"

Tino looked at Ivan evenly, calmly. "I forgive you."

The man on the floorboard could only snort in utter disbelief. "How unlike you, Reaper. You never show mercy at this point…you shouldn't."

"I have something to live for now," He shared this miraculous fact before removing his foot from the other.

Ivan's violet eyes went wide, an inkling of hope ebbing into them from those words he never thought he would hear from his fellow deadman. "Tell me, can you really walk among the living again?" His voice was soft with a fragile eagerness of a child.

Tino paused as he stared into the other's face imploring him that what he was saying wasn't some cruel joke. "I'll try…by the gods I'll try…" He turned his head to the object of his affection, his reason for living.

Berwald was standing at the edge of the Draugen, hair damp, glasses spotted with rain, coat clinging to his form and mouth set in a thin line.

Indeed, Tino would try for Berwald's sake. It was for him that the rifleman stayed his hand and stopped himself from being consumed by his own bloodlust.

"But…how? How can the deadman's curse be lifted?" Ivan wanted to know, but he soon figured it out by looking at his friend - that soft and fond smile gracing his face, eyes filled with an affection long lost…

It was love.

He loved the man with all his non-beating heart and shattered mind. It showed in Tino's eyes when he looked towards the taller blond on the ship.

Ivan was jealous.

But just as a calm lulled between the two deadmen, a giant wave loomed over them, threatening to swallow them whole in its watery maw.

"Get movin'!"

"Brother, get out of there!"

"Looks like the gods have a different plan for you," Ivan the Terrible commented playfully, wryly.

They both laughed their mad laugh together over a clap of thunder, sharing one last morbid joke before the wave crashed on their little platform on the sea and swept them away.

"Oi, are ya crazy, lad?!"

"You'll never make it back!"

At this point Berwald could no longer restrain himself and jumped over the rails, plunging into the freezing waters below to come to his beloved's aid. He didn't even know where to start, but swam in the direction where he last saw the two.

"Sister!"

Natalya was doing the same to find her brother.

By some stroke of luck both were successful in their rescue, finding the deadmen drowning not too far off from each other. Through the thunder, rain, and roaring waves they furiously made their way back to the Draugen. Rope ladders were thrown over to assist in the rescue once the pirates on deck realized that not all hope was lost.

Berwald held onto Tino tightly in his arms, the Finn as cold and still as an angel statue.

 _He's not breathing!_

It became apparent both deadmen weren't.

"Brother!"

Without even hesitating, both the Queen of Blades and the Lion of the North performed mouth-to-mouth on their respective fallen champion in an attempt to resuscitate him.

Berwald thanked the gods Ludwig had taught him this technique a while back in case crew members were thrown overboard. He just never thought he had to implement it so soon and on the man who held his heart. His mouth was over the other's still one, the action almost like an affectionate lip-lock. The kiss was salty, and all eyes were on him as he tried to bring the Reaper back to life with his breath. It was because he was in public that his lips couldn't linger for too long.

 _Please come back to me, Tino! Tino!_

And soon enough, the Reaper and Ivan the Terrible came back from the dead like they always did.

"That's enough, brother!"

"I'm all right, Natalya." The captain of the sinking Red Fraction insisted, rising to his feet after hacking out sea water. He clearly wasn't well – his body was riddled with bullets, bruises, and gashes both shallow and deep from head to toe. Blood dotted his long sagging scarf and down his torso where it seeped into the material of his tan coat. The medallions stolen from officers he have encountered and defeated pinned there were stripped from him and some of the man's fingers appeared mangled. "There's still unfinished business I must take care of," He dragged his feet to the other side of the ship where his friend was. His subordinates parted ways to make room for him. "I need to see him…one last time…"

Berwald was relieved beyond measure when the man under him stirred and his chest heaved to cough out the excess water.

"Ber…"

Oh how the Swede had to refrain himself from holding his beloved.

The Reaper slowly rose to a sitting position and saw his cyan-eyed angel hovering over him, hair further damp and dripping after his plunge into the sea. But their reunion was short-lived as he felt more than saw Ivan approach them.

"Tino, you don't have to do this," he whispered, but was hushed by a placid smile.

The bloodlust has left the rifleman.

Gentle violet eyes peered at him, a bloody hand cautiously coming up to caress his cheek.

"It'll be all right, Ber. I promise." With one last smile he got up to meet the other deadman.

Their clothes soaked and heavy on their backs, the Reaper and Ivan trudged across the deck to the center, weapon dangling at their side in their hand. Throughout it all, they never relinquished their blades like true deadmen.

"I believe…this will be our final farewell, ReeRee." Ivan commented lightly as though talking about the weather. His smile directed towards the other was gentle with no malice hidden beneath it.

Ivan the Terrible has lost everything. His ship, the Red Fraction, was in shambles. Once so menacing on the sea, the ship was swaying in its death throes from the violent waves slamming against its hollow hull. Like a burning corpse, smoke and steam rose from its ebony body, disappearing into the equally dark, briny deep below. The proud crimson sails were now torn and ripped from their mast, dangling sadly by their hinges and catching fire at some corners. But soon even the flames died, snuffed out by the entrenching waters. Their belongings, the prison cell with the nice window, all belonged to the ocean's abyss now as the stern of the ship bobbed once, twice, before diving below the surface. Yet somehow the ashen blond felt light, a man set free from his burdens. He could only hope to find that same warmth his friend has found and continue living.

"Yes…perhaps we'll meet again someday in hell, Ivan." the Reaper replied just as cordially between deep breaths. Bruised legs were barely holding him up as he walked, his undershirt sliced open in several places and exposing his wounds to the salty air. He couldn't tell if he was internally bleeding, but it felt like his ribs have been caved in and organs ruptured. But all the same he smiled back at his fellow deadman.

The surrounding pirates watched with bated breath for the grand finale of this fight.

The two took it slow as they heaved themselves over to each other, breathing labored, steps staggered, bodies swaying and weapons barely raised.

"I can only hope…that I'll beat you there. But don't keep me waiting, friend…It wouldn't be fun down there without you!"

"I'm sure it wouldn't be."

 **Thud.**

 **Thunk.**

They were only a foot apart from each other before the steel blades fell and clattered heavily onto the oak floorboards, their owners quickly following suit.

"Ivan!"

"Tino!"

Succumbing to their injuries at long last, Ivan the Terrible and the Reaper lost consciousness and dropped onto both their knees before falling forward, their heads turned to the side so that they were facing each other. Even in the bleak darkness of their minds and with eyes closed, a small smile graced each of their torn and bloody lips.

A wave of clamor rose and fell around the two deadmen as the fight came to its conclusion with the break of dawn.

The rain had stopped, the storm has ceased and the night was lifted by the early morning sun, signaling the start of a new and brighter day.


	29. Flesh

**Song Title: Flesh** by **Simon Curtis**

* * *

With the sinking of their ship and the defeat of their captain, the members of the Red Fraction were at the mercy of their opponents. Luckily for them, diplomacy was on their side and part of their agreement already settled thanks to their former captive. The fight left every pirate in good spirits, and although it technically ended in a draw, the Draugen's crew rallied wildly and started their celebrations early. Each party hauled their deadman away, the two champions still breathing and getting some well-deserved rest. Because Ivan was unable to take charge at the moment, as first mate, Katyusha gracefully negotiated the rest of their conditions of surrender with the North Sea King. The Dane, along with the rest of his men, found that they were unable to say no to that coy and pretty face…she was called the "Siren of the Deep" for a reason. The remaining Red Fraction crew members would be spared from walking the plank if they disbanded. Those who were taken against their will were more than happy to comply and return home. Among them were Eduard and his friends, Toris and Raivis. They were all to be dropped off at the nearest port.

Before he hopped off the Draugen, Eduard thanked Berwald and bid him one last farewell, hoping that the Swede would send his regards to his friend the Reaper as well once he rose again.

The new day and the epic battle took its toll on the Draugen's crew members, and as soon as they reached the port and exiled the former Red Fraction's members off their ship, most went straight to their cots after having their injuries tended to by their highly-skilled and hard-working doctor and his apprentice, the Lion of the North. Others not too badly wounded such as Feliciano, Lovino, and the two boys Erland and Peter were given a chance to shine by taking on a bunch of new tasks and assisting wherever they could to make up for the loss in manpower from the fight last night.

For Berwald, he had no time to dote on Tino sleeping in his room after Ludwig treated his wounds, the morning going by in a flash. It was only after the last man has been tended to, his own injuries accounted for, and everything finally in some order did he slink into his lover's room, snuggle up to the unconscious man's freezing body on the black bed, and quickly follow the other into the land of dreams.

It was a peaceful and calm afternoon on the Draugen, and only at night did it come to life again. The celebration of their victory continued on land when the North Sea King announced that he would be treating them all to the best rum and women the town had to offer. Of course most of them wouldn't dream of declining such an invitation and so followed their captain into town, laughing boisterously all the way there.

But to Tino and Berwald, who woke up at the same time in each other's arms, the offer wasn't tempting at all and so they kept their presence hidden while the whole lot filed out of the Draugen and into the night.

It was when he knew they were alone out on the deck that Tino dared to hold his beloved tightly, arms nearly crushing the taller man. "Berwald, Berwald, Berwald!"

"I'm right here," He returned the gesture, keeping the other close. He was right where he belonged.

With the ink-black sky above them and facing the tranquil waters glittering with stars, they were finally able to reunite properly.

"I can't believe I almost lost you..." Tino wanted to cry from it all – the horror, fear, and sorrow from the prospect of never seeing the blond again, but at the same time the relief that came from the other's warm embrace. It reminded him that everything was all right – Berwald was back by his side and he was safe and sound. But instead of tears, all that came out of him were dry heaves and heavy chuckles. It was such a convoluted feeling and he didn't know what to do with it, and so simply kept his arms around the other man's torso, resting his head on that broad shoulder.

Berwald was also wrestling with his feelings, resorting to his default silent demeanor as he tried to wrap his head around everything that has happened in the last few days. He didn't know when he would see the other again if at all after getting snatched away like that, but his Tino sailed across the seven seas to find him and nearly went to an early watery grave to rescue him. Sooner than he had dared to hope, his love's living presence assured him that this wasn't all a dream or the afterlife.

"I'm so sorry…if only I hadn't…It's all my fault…"

Berwald slowly shook his head, turning to nuzzle into soft platinum blond hair. "No, _I'm_ sorry, Tino. Please forgive me for what I've done..."

"What are you talking about, Ber?"

They poured their hearts out to each other, their regrets mingling with apologies and layered heavily with professions of love. And when misunderstandings were cleared and feelings reinforced, they were both finally able to move past their self-loathing and guilt. Instead, Berwald recapped what happened after Tino got knocked out cold.

"I can't believe you were able to talk your way out of it all…and Eduard was spared too…" Tino gasped, his lips curling into a soft grin while his body swayed slightly in their embrace. "You are amazing, you know that, Ber?" He pecked the man's cheeks when all he did was look away, still not used to the compliments the Finn showered him with. "I never could have pulled off what you did back there…"

It was then that Berwald had to get another heavy weight off his chest and said in a voice barely above a whisper "Ya need to be more careful."

 _Don't be so reckless…my heart can't take it!_

He never wanted his love to be on the brink of death like that ever again!

Tino stiffened in his arms and he wrapped them around the smaller man even tighter when the other didn't respond. "I can't bear to watch you get hurt…" But he knew it was a futile request. Tino was the Draugen's rifleman, and as long as he remained a pirate, there were sure to be more of these experiences ahead and brushes with death - each one closer than the next. The thought made Berwald nauseous.

"You truly are a caring man, Berwald." Tino sighed into his shoulder, hands moving up and down to sooth the taller man and stroke his back endearingly. It was true – death didn't take him again, and for once he didn't mind. But there was no telling when he would tempt death one too many times…"I'll do my best – for you I will continue living," he vowed, sealing it with a deep kiss.

When the ship resumed rocking gently beneath them, Berwald saw the light return to those dull violet eyes and he dove down once more to capture those enticing lips. Arms coiled around his neck as the kiss became deeper and more desperate, taking his breath away.

"I can't believe he had the nerve to take you away from me," Tino's voice was suddenly saturated with deep-seated anger. "How dare he…I missed you so much!" He could no longer hold back, devouring the other's mouth.

"Mmnh!" The taller man slowly pulled their lips apart and breathed out "We shouldn't…yer wounds…"

"They're fine," he brushed it off, but upon seeing Berwald's worried and stern expression he relented.

With the bespectacled man's insistence, they headed back down the stairs to the rifleman's room in order for him to inspect the newly-treated injuries. However, that didn't stop Tino from spinning him around every few steps and seeking his lips, kissing him feverishly all the way down the grand hall and into the room. And with each encounter, the walls Berwald put up around himself crumbled little by little, kiss by kiss. He wasn't drowning, but his lungs were in constant and dire need of air each time they pulled apart.

By the time they were in the macabre room, Tino closed the door behind him but did as he was told and sat down on the edge of their black bed so that Berwald could have a better look at the bandages around his cuts.

The air was spiked with electricity, the way the Finn was staring at him made Berwald feel like he was trapped inside a cage with a savage beast. Those violet eyes stalked his every movement with such intensity that he was beginning to work slower than usual, second-guessing himself. The wounds on his arms were easy enough, since he could just roll the sleeves up to make sure the bandages there didn't need to be changed yet. But when it came to the ones around his torso and shoulders…

"I need your help taking these off, Ber," Tino whispered seductively, slowly rolling his shoulder to ask the other man to strip him of his coat and beige undershirt.

The platinum blond wasn't making this easy for him…not one bit.

"Go ahead, don't be shy, Ber…I don't bite," he giggled.

After a grunt and sharp exhale through his nose, Berwald dove down and pushed the black long coat with the tattered ends off his lover's body. Next came the undershirt…but since he only had to see the rifleman's stomach, the Swede was as non-invasive as possible, lifting the hem of the shirt just far up enough to note that the clean gauze hasn't bled through and didn't need to be changed. His fingers refrained from lingering too long on the pale and heated skin beneath him.

This seemed to displease Tino, who let out a huff of air ever so silently. But he still had a trick up his sleeve. "Do you think you can give me some medicine to help with the pain?"

"Mmn." Berwald turned around to the desk to grab the vial with the painkiller inside it and was about to pour the medicine out in its proper dosage onto a spoon when he heard from behind him a very special request.

"Can you give me the medicine the same way you did before with the antidote?"

"…!" Berwald whipped around and was met with a Cheshire grin from the man still sitting on the bed, his legs crossed primly.

 _He's not playing fair!_

But in his situation, behind closed doors and alone with his beloved clearly full of desire, of course things weren't going to be in his favor. His own need gnawed at him from within, overpowering his concern for the man's well-being and physical health.

 _No, it isn't right!_

He let out the smallest of whines before coming back to Tino, who was waiting for him with a quiet patience, predatory eyes watching the larger man take the medicine into his mouth before leaning down to finally pass it over to him.

Tino chuckled softly as he guided the other's face to his with a hand on each cheek. "Thank you so much, Ber." He licked those lips sealed tightly in order to avoid spilling the content before it reached its destination. "I love you."

The exchange was a smoldering combination of sweet and bitter – lips and medicine melding together to create something so euphoric for both parties. It was soft and innocent enough, but belied the rifleman's hunger.

"…Ngh!" His lover became a bit too excited, springing up from the mattress to meet his height and grabbed the back of his head so that there was no way their mouths could part. His body became heavy as if drugged, arms going around the smaller man for anchorage.

The slow transfer of medicine became second priority as Tino ignored swallowing the bitter liquid in favor of savoring the taste of his beloved's mouth, pressing hard against the other until they both collapsed onto the floorboards in the room. Their lips stayed connected despite the sudden change in position, the medicine overflowing at this point and dribbling down Berwald's chin. The platinum blond wasted no time in leaning down and cleaning up the mess on his beloved.

Berwald gasped the moment the other's lips left his, sucking in as much air as possible, his body automatically offering itself up to Tino. It had given up its futile resistance long before his mind did.

"I want you so badly, Ber."

The Swede lying on his back looked up at his lover hovering over him, the both of them trying to catch their breaths. The man straddling him on top leaned forward so that Berwald got a better look at those magnificent eyes.

A bit of the madness seeped into those violet orbs, bright even without the light from the lantern on the desk. They were animalistic but still full of love…and mainly lust.

Tino smelled thickly of blood, the sea, gunpowder…death…

The scent of the recent skirmish was still fresh on his person. That in combination with his lively eyes and demeanor made the Reaper very dangerous…and it absolutely thrilled Berwald.

"Is it okay?"

He could no longer deny his own desire and so nodded his consent. "Mmn. Yeah…" His heart and mind was already racing with the possibilities of what the other would do to him.

In a sensual manner, Tino nestled his head into the crook of his beloved's neck, breathing in deeply there. Senses still sharp from the fight before, he could smell the excitement, anticipation, and sex on the other…And was that a hint of fear on him as well? He let out a throaty groan. The scent was so heady he could practically taste it on his tongue. Tino licked his lips hungrily at his well-earned meal. Peeling the gloves off his hands with his teeth provocatively, he quickly got to work and palmed Berwald shamelessly through his trousers.

"Nghn!...Ah!"

An airy chuckle escaped his lips before Tino bent down to bite and roll the man's sensitive right nipple between his teeth through his black undershirt.

"Tino!" Berwald arched into that deviant mouth and hand toying with him. "Ah…" He was trying so hard to make himself decent in front of the other, but his body refused to listen to him.

The Finn was just about done teasing himself and the other and so tore the clothes right off the taller blond, the beige coat, golden sash, and dark purple trousers flying off and glasses clacking onto the wooden floorboards next to them. Everything else was then taken off to join the aforementioned articles of clothing, leaving Berwald completely bare before his ravenous eyes.

Although the black bed was only a couple of feet away, they didn't make it and Berwald ended up pinned to the cold floor in the room by his lover's eager body. He shivered from the chilly air surrounding them and Tino grinding his hips against him, the fabric of the other's black and tan trousers rubbing tantalizingly along his hard cock. "Mhn!"

Tino indulged himself in the other man laid spread before him, tasting the flesh presented to him in every way possible – lips, teeth, and tongue. His mouth roamed everywhere on that beautiful body while his hands and hips mindlessly stimulated the other.

"Ahh!" Breathlessly Berwald hissed when he was marked by a harsh suck on his collar bone followed by fervent licks across the reddened skin that would surely become a hickey.

"I want everyone to know that you're mine…so that they'll think twice before they take you away from me…" He repeated his previous action a few more times on different places on his lover. Tino felt muscles shudder under his tongue as it danced over hard abs, lapping up the salt from both sea and sweat.

Those bold words stirred something within Berwald, his insides itching to be stretched and filled. "Tino…" He called out the other's name, wanting more and getting his wish when hands possessively groped his backside, squeezing and kneading the flesh there feverishly. He felt the urgency and hunger grow within him, craving sweet release. So when slender fingers crawled up his jaw and delved into his mouth, silently demanding him to suck, the Swede did so obediently, coating them generously with saliva.

"All mine," Tino growled into his ear before nipping the earlobe. The hand in that hot mouth played with the wet muscle licking his fingers before holding it in between his thumb and index finger, feeling the other groan around them. "Such a good boy," he cooed sweetly into that flushed ear before kissing it, knowing that it would send a small wave of pleasure running down his lover's spine.

Berwald whimpered as a wet finger teased his twitching entrance, drawing lazy circles around the puckered hole but never actually pushing in. It was driving him crazy.

 _Please, hurry!_

"Here, no one can claim you here except for me,"

"Uhn…yes…!" He moaned loudly when the digit finally entered him. The sensation was heavenly against his inner walls.

"It belongs to me, and me alone," A bit roughly he pushed the first finger all the way into that inviting warmth, wiggling it inside the other and making him squirm for more. He would never let a stranger have his Berwald ever again.

"Only you!" Berwald mewled and threw his head back when a second finger joined the first and the hand not occupied rubbing his insides grabbed his cock and stroked languidly. With whatever dignity he had left, the blond slapped a hand over his mouth in order to muffle his moans.

Tino watched in great amusement as the man laid out in front of him struggled to keep his voice down despite bucking into his hand and impaling himself onto his fingers. "Yes, that's it, Ber," He allowed his Berwald to continue covering his mouth in a feeble attempt to stop those lewd sounds from escaping. He took it as a challenge to make the other scream and curled his fingers toward that spot inside him that he knew would send the other spasming.

"Mmmph!" Berwald arched off the floorboards, his free hand clawing at the hard wood beneath him when Tino brushed against his prostate. A third finger was added and soon they were all thrusting into him in tandem with the strokes on his leaking arousal. The Finn was looking down at him smugly when he dared to make eye contact - that serene angelic face was now more sinister than anything he has ever seen.

 _Oh gods..._

The pressure building up inside of him was becoming too much to contain.

"It's okay...let go, my sweet,"

"Tino, I'm com-!" A strangled cry interrupted him as he came from hands and fingers.

As soon as Berwald found his release, Tino was upon him, cleaning the fresh spent off his stomach, devouring him in whichever way he could.

The platinum blond made sure his lover was watching as he licked the milky substance off his body, angling his head so that he was staring salaciously at him. His tongue roved over flushed skin, eyes dark with lust and promising Berwald of much, much more.

The Swede could only pant heavily at the vulgar scene. He gulped at what was coming next, body shaking with excitement even though he had just orgasmed.

Tino hooded his eyes and groaned lewdly at how delectable his Berwald tasted, crawling lower over the other to the source of it all and flicking his tongue out to mop up the rest of it. However, he had to stop short of his work when hands pulled him up for a sloppy kiss from swollen lips. He gladly reciprocated the lip-lock, making the effort to push some of the contents in his mouth into the other's in order for Berwald to have a taste of himself. The response he received was so erotic and he let the taller man's quivering hands do as they pleased, roaming over his body, pulling him down closer and snaking underneath his beige undershirt to rub patterns over his wounds and scars. The Finn chuckled appreciatively when his shirt and scarf were hastily pulled off, leaving his upper half exposed for fingers to grace over his toned muscles and heated skin.

Berwald was only spurred on by his beloved's husky groans, voice low and rumbling against his chest. He became more adventurous and eventually a hand slid down to Tino's lower front, feeling the hard length beneath those dark trousers. His own lower half stirred once more and insides clenched desperately for the thing it craved. He wanted the other man so badly right now. "Take me, Tino," He gently caressed the arousal in his hand, feeling it twitch from his words. "I'm yours."

The enticing offer set the platinum blond off from his idleness and he swiftly held Berwald's hands up over his head, wearing a wolfish expression on his face.

The Swede merely turned his head to kiss the wrist there at his side, cyan eyes cloudy with lust and doing their best to focus on the man above him, watching Tino bind him with the blue bandana he normally wore around his head. It was different from what they usually did, but Berwald didn't mind and found the fabric biting into his skin exotically arousing.

With his plaything tied down nicely by the wrists, long legs opened just for him to nestle between and body waiting to be defiled, Tino pulled down his trousers just low enough to expose his painful erection before lining himself up against his lover's entrance. "I hope you're ready," He gave the larger man one last sultry look and licked his lips before plunging right in.

"Ahhh…Hngh!" Berwald screwed his eyes shut momentarily from the much-welcomed intrusion. When he opened them again, he couldn't help but look down and watch as Tino's length disappeared inside him inch by inch in one fluid motion until it was up to the hilt. "Yes…" he whimpered, feeling his empty channel filled with the other man. It was something fingers could never replicate. He was barely given enough time to adjust before the platinum blond started moving inside of him at a rough pace.

"So good…so hot and tight, and all mine," Tino snarled, snapping his hips into the man beneath him to bring home the point and making the other fight against his bondage. He lifted those muscular thighs up over his shoulders in order to better angle himself on the floor.

"Deeper...ah…" Berwald found himself saying between gasps and rocked his hips against the other, enjoying this aggressive side of Tino more than he should. His mind blanked and he yelped when his prostate was hit dead on.

"I'm the only one who can make you moan like this and fuck you right," he said gruffly, holding down Berwald's trembling thighs and keeping them spread. He reveled in the feeling of the other's ring of muscle twitching around him, sucking him into that delicious heat. "Show me more, Ber!"

Berwald could only grunt weakly as a reply before he began screaming from the cock buried deep inside him, sliding against his walls and abusing the sensitive bundle of nerves within. Sweat trickled down his body – his thighs, chest, and throat, all swept up by that greedy velvet tongue.

Whenever he came down to kiss the other's mouth, Tino was sure to take everything from him – his breath and moans alike. His lips ultimately focused on the blond's neck, feeling his pulse there racing and it drove him mad. "You're my greatest treasure," he growled out, never ceasing his relentless thrusts. He smirked when he felt Berwald convulse beneath him, his taut neck quivering. "And I'm never letting you go!"

The Swede's mouth hung open in a perpetual moan, breathing erratic as signified by his chest rising and falling at rapid intervals. The Finn's grip on his thighs was so hard he was sure it would leave bruises the next morning, but he didn't care nor could he control himself any longer. He was too far gone. "Ahn! Ah…Tino!" He was caught in the throes of passion and didn't want to be let go from its tempting clutches.

"That's a good Ber,"

His body was completely at Tino's mercy, thrashing wildly and rendered a moaning mess on the floor for his lover to drink in eagerly.

It began to rain outside the window in their room that was now fixed and no longer cracked, but neither of them paid it any mind, caught up in a storm of their own.

"Yah!" Berwald felt thoroughly dominated, hands above his head flailing and clawing at the hard surface below and wrists twisting around in their bondage. He lolled out his tongue as he was pounded into the floorboards, the sound of skin slapping against sweat-soaked skin making his head spin and he absolutely loved it. Above him Tino purred out his encouragements, mouthing against his neck.

"Yes, that's it. Scream for me, Berwald,"

The pleasure was becoming overwhelming and the coil in his lower body was wound too tightly. "Bite me!" he begged.

 _Claim me! Remind me who I belong to now!_

Tino obliged him without hesitation and sunk his teeth into the supple flesh of his neck, breaking skin and drawing blood.

"Y-YES!" He wailed, his body in a perfect arch off the floor as he came for the second time that night. The spring unraveled inside him all at once, Berwald releasing all over himself in hot spurts while muttering unintelligibly against the other man.

The soft walls enclosed around Tino too tightly and he growled before splattering the other's insides with his seed, suckling the wound in front of him, riding out his own orgasm and sending tremendous aftershocks of pleasure throughout his prey's body.

Save for the soft rain pattering outside their window and their heavy panting, all was quiet in the room.

After a pleasant while, Berwald felt Tino stir above him, lifting his head of platinum blond hair off his chest. A low moan escaped those thin lips.

"Mmn…Ber…you taste so good!" The blood of his beloved tasted so sweet on his tongue; it awakened something within him and whet his appetite for the other man. He needed more.

"Tino? Ah…!" His lover was hard again inside him, pulsing and twitching back to life.

 _Again? Already?_

The Finn pulled out of his lover abruptly, spurred on by the need to lay claim of the man before him in other areas as well – chest, lower back, inner thighs. The tantalizing way the larger blond writhed after each bite, still struggling with the bandana around his wrists, sent thrilling chills down his spine. Once he had his fill, Tino made himself comfortable between his lover's legs again, still wide open for his leisure. He couldn't help but smirk as those glassy cyan eyes nearly on the brink of tears from all the pleasure peered at him.

"Tino!" Berwald threw his head back against the oak floorboards the moment the other rammed mercilessly back inside him, giving him more and more. He felt the wind knocked out of him with each thrust, a hungry mouth over his throbbing wounds, picking up any fresh drops of blood that seeped from them. A hand held his chin up and made it so that he tilted his head to expose his neck – right there for Tino to feast upon.

The rifleman was insatiable at the moment, his only reason in life was to render Berwald completely helpless in pleasure. And based on the way the Swede was writhing, the usually deep voice octaves higher now and screaming at the top of his lungs, he'd say he was fulfilling his life's purpose quite nicely. The other's body and moans were so sweet, so delicious, and all his.

Berwald couldn't see straight from all the pleasure he was receiving, hardly registering when he was flipped onto his back, stomach or side when they changed positions. The black room was spinning as he was fucked senselessly by the Finn. He was drowning and didn't want anyone to come save him. He has never felt so alive before and never wanted this to stop. He never wanted Tino to stop loving him.

The two lovers celebrated their reunion all night long from the floor, to the wall, and then on the bed. They made love on whatever surface of the room or no surface at all, limbs entangled and bodies connected until the sun came up.


	30. In the Name of Love

**Song Title: In the Name of Love** by **Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha**

* * *

Everything was so thick, heavy, and sweet…like he was drenched in honey. Tino woke up to the warm rays of the sun now pouring through the window of their room, the rain having long since stopped. Next to him under the dark covers of their bed was his beloved, wonderful, and loving Berwald, still deep in sleep.

Those brows usually furrowed to give off a hard gaze were now soft, lips still kiss-swollen curled upward in a fond smile as the Swede continued to dream a pleasant dream.

The smile was contagious, and Tino found himself grinning as well, a hand coming up to caress that handsome face and brush some of the blond strands of hair aside. "Good afternoon, my love,"

Half of the day has already gone by without them, not that it mattered anyway. They were still docked at the quiet town and there was no one to disturb them.

His Berwald looked so beautiful, his tousled, damp hair having an almost golden glow to it from the sun's light and skin so perfect and smooth. Violet eyes trailed down a little lower, past that sleeping face and towards the rest of his body covered by the black blanket. He knew under it hid the marks made from last night, a vibrant red in some areas and deep purple in others. His wrists, which were untied before they finally went to sleep, definitely had a thin scarlet line running along them. The man was simply stunning and Tino didn't know what he did to deserve such a godsend. Never in his journey across the seven seas has he ever met someone who loved and cared for him as deeply as the blond before him. Berwald looked past all his flaws and cracked mind, accepting him for who he was.

Tino continued to fawn over the unconscious Swede until his hunger got the better of him and he had no choice but to leave the comfort of the warm bed. Upon retrospect, he hasn't eaten in the last couple of days since raiding the Red Fraction. But then again, he was satiated and had another kind of meal not so long ago…Again his eyes couldn't help but wander back to the beautiful man on his bed.

Bending over to peck Berwald on the cheeks, brow, and ear, he whispered softly "I'll be right back, my dear,"

The sleeping figure turned over and shifted a little as if to get closer to that gentle voice and touch.

"You're so adorable," he cooed as he tucked the larger man in. He then went over to the floor and tried to tidy up the room a bit, picking up their clothes and the other's glasses that were discarded the night before and resting them on the desk.

In order to look somewhat decent, the Finn pulled up his trousers and threw on his tattered black long coat over his bare shoulders before closing the door behind him…but not before giving his lover one last kiss and yearning look.

"I love you."

* * *

The North Sea King was in a good mood. A very good mood indeed. Ivan the Terrible and the Red Fraction fell by his hands. Sure, he lost a few good men in the process, but it was a solid victory in his book. Who would have known he would see the day that demon of a man would disappear and never haunt his dreams ever again? He could rest a bit easier now knowing that those violet eyes and black ship with its crimson sails were no longer hounding him and his crew.

Speaking of rest…his bed has been rather cold lately…

Of course he had his fair share of women last night, but there was a man who has eluded him for the longest time. Berwald was the reason he even sailed headlong towards what could have easily been his doom, and now Mathias felt that it was high time to finally claim his true reward for his efforts. He has been patient with the Swede for long enough. He would have Berwald one way or another – the former prostitute owed it to him to be saved from Ivan's clutches.

But the blond in question was nowhere to be found.

The object of his desire wasn't in town like the rest of the crew now moseying along the streets clearly in a drunken stupor. Nor was he in the sleeping quarters or other public parts of the Draugen when Mathias stomped his way on board.

"Where the hell is he?!" The North Sea King swore, his good mood quickly dissipating with the vanishing of his prize.

 _Don't tell me he ran away!_

The possibility seemed highly likely now that the Dane thought about it – while they were all off celebrating, Berwald could have easily used the distraction to make a run for it and never come back.

"He wouldn't dare!"

He had been too lenient and because of that his prey got away!

"That ungrateful son of a-!" The captain of the Draugen was scowling all the way down the hall leading to his cabin. It was when he passed by the door of his rifleman's room that an idea hatched in his mind.

The Reaper, albeit out of commission at the moment because of his duel with Ivan the Terrible, was supposed to be the one keeping an eye on his possession. Surely the Finn could at least provide him with more insight on the possible places where his prize could have gone, and perhaps even hunt him down should the Swede actually attempted to escape.

So it was with thinning patience that the captain nearly knocked the door to the macabre room down with a kick and shouted without any regards to the ailing man "Rise and shine, Reaper!"

But his breath caught in his throat the moment his one good eye laid upon the figure resting on the black bed.

Instead of the rifleman clad in his signature black long coat, a beautiful naked man with his back turned to him greeted him. The dark covers draped over the blond's shoulders slid partially off to reveal skin recently bruised and marked by teeth and lips. Still unaware of the Dane's presence, the figure continued to sleep soundly in the warm bed without a care in the world, body rising up and down in soft and even breaths.

It was only after the initial shock of seeing the object of his desire in all of his bare flesh in his subordinate's bed that something else hit the North Sea King. The smell of sex hung heavily in the room and taunted the blond captain as it wafted around him.

"What the fuck is this?!" Mathias roared, finally finding his voice again after losing it to the scene before him.

"Mm...What…?" Berwald, only now roused from his slumber, turned over on the bed to face the source of the shrill sound. Cyan eyes went wide when it wasn't his lover who was at the doorway. He didn't have time to recoil as the captain barreled towards where he was lying and yanked the black sheets right off him in one furious motion.

Mathias gritted his teeth at the sight of the other. "So this is where ya ran off to!" He grabbed and twisted the man's arm back and rolled him over so that he was on his stomach. His fury was further fueled when his blue eye landed on the mess on Berwald's nude body. Hickeys and red rings made by teeth sinking into flesh adorned the taller blond's shoulders, back, thighs, and lower still…

Berwald turned his head just enough to glare at his oppressor, demanding to be unhanded. But all he received was the hand around him biting into his tender skin even harder.

"Look at ya…sellin' yourself to the Reaper! Seems like you two had a good fuck last night," The North Sea King leaned over closer to the struggling Swede. He now saw globs of the rifleman's seed dribbling out from the man's backside from the motion, and this infuriated him as he commented darkly "Several times by the looks of it."

"Get off me..." Berwald warned in a guttural tone to this rude awakening. This was not how he expected to be greeted in the morning after being made love to endlessly by Tino. The captain of the Draugen chose the worst time to barge in on him.

"Oh I will, after _I_ get off," he retorted mirthlessly and held the captive's wrists with one hand to pin them over his head. He scowled deeply when he saw that the Reaper had also tied him up last night, indicated by the angry scarlet streaks gracing his skin. To think that the Finn wasn't above going about and plundering him! "That damn traitor!"

Still on his stomach and face pushed down into the pillow, Berwald winced at the words and how disturbingly close the other was to him that he could smell the alcohol reeking from the Dane. His whole body ached as he tried to free himself from his captor's grasp. He gasped when a rough hand slid over his backside and slapped the mound of flesh there already raw and red from last night. A low grunt escaped his lips before he could stop it, the noise seeming to only spur the captain on.

A hot breath ghosted over the shell of his ear as Mathias whispered venomously, haughtily "Such a good little whore you are! I bet yer nice and loose now for me to just-!"

The weight on top of Berwald was lifted with a strangled cry from the other blond.

"What are you doing in my room?" the Reaper demanded darkly, pulling his captain away from Berwald by the back of the man's collar. Meal tray in the other hand, his expression was grave once he saw his beloved assaulted like that on his bed.

Biting past his own collar chocking him, the North Sea King countered "What are you doing with my treasure?!" He whirled around ferociously to face his half-dressed subordinate, causing the other to release his iron grip on his black coat and nearly drop the silver tray. While the rifleman hastily set the lunch down onto the work desk, the captain spat out "So right after ya blacked out from yer fight with Ivan ya still managed to go fuckin' around!"

Tino's mouth was set in a thin line, saying nothing.

They have been caught red-handed.

Sarcastically the captain added "Honestly, Reaper, what were you thinking takin' dear Ber here against his will? You should be ashamed of yourself." He walked straight up to the stiff platinum blond. "Wasn't it you who told me-"

"I wasn't forced into any of this!" Berwald yelled across to the other side of the room. Cyan eyes bore into the Dane's blue one when the other whipped his head around, the white feathers on top his hat swiveling and heavy jewelry around his neck clinking from the motion. He was sitting upright on the bed the moment he was unrestrained, retrieving the black blanket to cover his lower half but proudly leaving the marks on the rest of his body in full view for the captain to glower at. "I wanted him…I love him."

To profess his love was the second-most liberating thing Berwald could have done in front of his captor – the first being actually leaving the ship for good.

"WHAT?!"

Tino couldn't help but smirk at the North Sea King now gaping like a fish. A sudden cockiness rose within him from hearing his Berwald declare his love for him like that. With an edge to his tone he said "See, captain? Don't make me out to be the criminal here…As for you, however," Violet eyes twinkled with mirth. "I can't say the same."

"You scandalous-!" Mathias didn't even finish his own sentence before throwing the first punch at his rifleman. He was furious with the both of them right now for their insubordination. But his fist failed to make contact with the smaller man's face, instead hitting air as the other ducked out of the way in the small room.

"Please stop…we don't have to fight, captain," the Reaper tried to reason, his voice stern. He continued to dodge the man's attacks while launching none of his own.

This only made the blond captain see red faster. "Well ya sure as hell asked for one the moment ya took what's mine!" Both his fists were caught by the rifleman's hands, their elbows bent as they put their full weight against each other. "So ya think ya can just sneak off with my possession, eh Reaper?" he snarled at the Finn's face, baring his teeth.

As they struggled, Tino clarified "Berwald doesn't belong to either one of us. He's his own free man,"

"He's _mine_!" Mathias seethed, having lost all respect for his rifleman. "As are you, Tino! And ya best not forget that," In order to emphasize his point, he raised a foot and kicked in the spot he knew the other was hit before from his fight with Ivan – his stomach.

Tino wasn't fast enough to withdraw from the blow in the crowded room and ended up falling back onto the floor with a short, painful cry. Bile rose up from his empty stomach but he swallowed it back down, the substance burning the inside of his throat as he did so.

"Tino!"

"Tch, looks like you haven't fully recovered yet from yer fight with that rat bastard," the North Sea King sneered confidently. "You're still weak…ya don't stand a chance against me!"

Breathing raggedly, Tino had a hand over the bandages around his torso and found them red with fresh blood from the blow. His head facing the doorway, his eyes were covered by platinum blond bangs.

The captain saw this as a chance to further maul and teach his subordinate a lesson, and so charged towards the man on the floor. "You will always be my cur!" But as he threw himself onto the smaller man, he found his body lifted and kept afloat. "What?!"

"Perhaps it's about time this dog bit the hand that feeds it," A light and strained voice escaped the man beneath the Dane. The sole of tan boots placed firmly against the other's chest and knees bent, the Reaper prevented himself from getting pinned and threw Mathias off him with his legs into the hallway where he landed against the wall upside down. The Finn then flipped over to his hands and knees but kept low to the floor, like a beast stalking its prey, his violet eyes bright and burning.

The wall shook from the impact of the captain slamming against it before he slid down into a crumpled mess, his head and neck at an odd angle compared to the rest of his body. But even upside down, Mathias had a clear view of the rifleman in front of him at the doorway and Berwald behind him in the bed. Despite the pain, a toothy grin formed on the North Sea King's face as he readjusted himself and got up from the oak floor. "Now that's a look I haven't seen you send my way in a long time!"

The Reaper slowly rose to his feet, the black long coat on his shoulders swishing lightly from the motion. He continued to stand in the way between Berwald and his assailant. "Not another step closer, Mathias."

"Is that a challenge I hear?" Mathias' voice became shrill with excitement and anger, his blood pumping and blue eye locking onto its target. The prospect of fighting the Reaper like this in order to claim his decadent prize was riling him up in more ways than one. "I must say, I'm getting excited already!"

The brawl took to the hallway and back in the room as black coats whirled and whipped about wildly from the two fighters' movements. Throwing punches and kicks this way and that, the sound of feral growls, knuckles crunching and fists against flesh resonated down the hall.

The injuries the Reaper had sustained from his previous battle made themselves known and dramatically hindered his movements, disabling him from making any grand evasive maneuvers and counterattacks to end the fight quickly. He was in pain, and it was only increasing as the struggle wore on. But he had to fight, and he would in order to prevent the captain from bringing about anymore harm towards Berwald.

"Gotcha!"

"…!" A swift right hook made contact with Tino's jaw and an audible crack was heard upon impact. But he stood his ground and didn't fly back, keeping his face there and used the opportunity to grab Mathias by the striped lapel of his coat and throw him hard against the edge of his desk so that the taller man was bent over backwards, his lower spine pressed up against the wooden furniture.

"Why you-!"

Conveniently, the rifleman's loaded flintlock pistols weren't far from where they were, resting near the corner of the desk. Pounding his fist harshly onto the desk with one hand, the shockwave flipped his pistols skyward and he quickly grabbed one by the handle without even taking his eyes off his prey. The other hand still on the other's lapel to hold him down, the smaller man then leaned into the North Sea King until the Dane's back was flushed against the hard surface.

"Resorting to yer guns already? How pathetic!" Mathias spat out as the other pressed the white firearm right against his forehead accompanied by a toothy grin.

"All's fair in love and war. Isn't that right, captain?" the Reaper retorted in a light and playful tone.

He snarled but fanned his arms out on either side of him on the desk, barely touching the silver tray next to him. "Go on, shoot me! I dare you!" His subordinate wouldn't possibly pull the trigger, even in his crazed state. Tino would not kill him.

 **Thwack!**

"Gah!" His gamble paid off and instead of firing off the gun, the Reaper bashed him across the face with the butt of the pistol hard enough to make him bleed.

"Hmm, perhaps I've been going about this the wrong way…" the Finn pondered, drifting the three barrels of his pistol down towards Mathias' crotch instead. The captain's horrified expression was priceless and he reveled in it. "Maybe I should blast this part off instead of your skull," he giggled darkly.

"…!" The North Sea King trained his one good eye down to where the firearm was hovering dangerously between his legs. The nose of the gun dug under his gold sash and rubbed against his tan trousers.

"I'm sure you won't die from this," He smiled sadistically, voice sweetly laced with malice as he said "The only question is would you want to continue living after that?"

"Damn you, bastard!" Mathias snapped his head up to meet Tino's gaze.

Thinly-veiled mania lurked within those purple eyes.

"Maybe then you'll leave my Berwald alone."

At this point the captain of the Draugen knew he had lost the blond on the bed to his rifleman.

There was no way the Reaper was going to let go of this one no matter what he tried…He might even die as a result if he did, and that in itself wasn't worth it. He had no choice but to yield this one time. "FUCK!" He swore loudly, hate having to lose to an underling. "Fine, Reaper, ya win! Now get off me!"

"But of course, captain," the Reaper replied readily, lifting his weight off the other. However, the pistol was still gripped tightly in his hand and subtly remained on its target…the North Sea King well aware of its presence.

The captain didn't try anything further. Instead he tried to compose himself, readjusting the black bicorn sitting lop-sided on his head, straightening out his ruffled coat, and wiping the blood off his face. He was a good captain and would let the Reaper have his way...for now. He headed out the door, but not without a warning. "Don't think I have given up, Tino."

Sky blue eye met violet ones in a chilling staredown.

"The moment you let your guard down and slip up, I will be there to take back what's mine."

The Finn scowled, showing his teeth.

"But really, ReeRee, would ya really challenge me, your captain, for this whore's love?"

 **Bang!**

The bullet grazed the right side of the Dane's head and lodged itself into the wall next to him, tearing the string that kept the eye patch intact and revealing an unseeing blue eye. A scar ran through the dull and lightless eye staring deadly back at the Reaper, its owner smirking despite his situation.

"Out…NOW!"

The North Sea King's boisterous and malicious cackle echoed all the way down the hallway as he made his way to his cabin.

As soon as he slammed the door to his room shut, Tino slumped against the wooden door and breathed heavily, as if reining in his bloodlust and madness took all his strength. He nursed his aching jaw, spitting the blood collecting in his mouth into his hand as gracefully as possible and finding a cloth to wipe it off.

"…"

He felt another's intense gaze on him and looked up for the first time since his fight with the captain. Violet eyes grew wide as though seeing his beloved for the first time since he left the room. "Ber!" Dropping the flintlock pistol in his hand, he flitted towards the beautiful man on the bed and kneeled at the edge of the mattress to meet his eye level. "Are you all right? Did he hurt you? I swear if he so much as…I'm so sorry you had to wake up to that! I'm so stupid! I shouldn't have-" His own beratement and tirade only came to an end when he felt warm hands cupping his face and bringing him up to meet equally warm cyan eyes.

"It's okay. I'm all right, Tino." Thumbs rubbing light circles on the Finn's cheeks, Berwald paid extra attention to the side that just got pummeled.

"I'm sorry…" the rifleman said feebly while leaning into his touch. Too ashamed of what he just did and what the other just witnessed, he chose to avert his eyes to the black blanket instead. Suddenly nervous of being judged, he offered "I…umm…I'll let you get dressed in peace while I go wait outside-" This time a kiss shushed his ramblings.

Berwald kept Tino's lips close to his, mumbling into them "Stay. I want you here with me,"

With further encouragement from the Swede via arms pulling him up to sit on the bed with him, the smaller male relented and quickly got to wrapping his own arms around the other. "Please tell me he didn't do anything to you…"

"He didn't…thanks to you," He sighed into the crook of Tino's neck, loving the way the other was slowly stroking up and down his back. "Thank you, Tino."

The platinum blond didn't think he deserved such praise from his beloved, seeing as though it was because he abandoned him in the first place that created an opening for the captain to take advantage of. But all the same he was glad he came back in time to stop the abuse before it got any worse. The way Berwald was purring and looking content was enough to dissipate his own worries and he allowed himself the luxury of being pulled down and laid prone on the bed with the naked man.

Sitting up on the bed was becoming uncomfortable for Berwald, so he opted to rest his head on the soft pillow with Tino in his arms. He was so sore but oh-so satisfied, his mind sated as well that he was more than willing to let what happened moments ago be bygones. His whole body ached and skin tingled from the burning sensation of last night, the marks on him a pleasant reminder that made him smile like a fool despite how he looked at the moment. Next to him Tino was beginning to lower his guard, the rifleman long having suppressed his anger and wrath and was now letting go of his guilt over the situation as well. His voice hoarse and throat dry, he instead held onto the smaller man tighter as a silent way of reassuring him that he was unharmed and that he loved the other no matter what he did. It delighted him when the Finn finally pressed his body flushed against his and hummed, nuzzling into his chest.

A comfortable silence lapsed between them and they merely closed their eyes and rested in each other's arms until Tino got up slowly and offered "You must feel uncomfortable, let me help you clean,"

"Mmn, no." Berwald didn't even give it a second thought and refused to turn over. He wanted to keep the other's essence all to himself inside of him. After everything that has happened between them, he wanted to hold onto every bit of his lover in every possible way. He grinned and kept the platinum blond close to his chest.

"Oh don't be like that, Ber," Tino sensed the playfulness in his beloved's voice and couldn't help but smile with the other man. He pulled the sheets off him as he said "Come on, now. You can't keep it in you forever,"

"I can try."

With a giggle Tino gently rolled over so that he was straddling the taller blond below him. His Berwald was being so cute, and it was only after he cooed into his ear and promised that there would be plenty more opportunities for him to hold onto his seed that the other finally got onto his stomach and parted his legs a bit for Tino to take care of him.

The black bed was already a mess, stained and sullied in several places from their activities last night. So it didn't matter when more was added to it when the towel Tino placed under Berwald didn't catch all of the contents that spilled out of him.

"Mmnh…ngnh…" The Finn's essence slowly flowed down his channel, coaxed out by the slender finger inside him now carefully prodding and rubbing against his walls to wipe the mess away. It was only supposed to be the aftercare, but the process was arousing the Swede more than usual. Tino worshiping his body during it all wasn't helping. "Ah…"

"You're doing so well, Ber." Starting from the blond's strong back, Tino planted butterfly kisses over all the love bites from last night and noted how sensitive the other still was. He went lower, mouth roving over reddened skin and coyly kissing his beloved's buttocks while his finger worked inside him. The sounds escaping Berwald through the pillow along with the squelching from his backside was distracting him from his original goal. His finger went in deeper until it found what made the Swede jolt his head up and body shudder in ecstasy.

"There…!" Berwald gasped out when Tino stopped teasing his insides and focused solely on massaging his prostate. He became vocal once more and despite all that they have done last night, his body still craved the other and he became hard, his arousal grinding sensually against the soft material of the sheets beneath him.

The way his lover was clenching around his finger, his cum running down lovely thighs and those toned buttocks spread and rippling from the stimulation was a sight Tino took in greedily with amethyst eyes. But he still had a duty to fulfill, and so with whatever self-control he had left, made quick work of cleaning out the rest of the milky substance before the blond tossing on the bed flipped himself over to face him and pulled him in for a crushing kiss. "Mmn…Ber…"

Berwald simply had to reach those thin lips and connect them with his own, the finger twisting inside of him making him moan into the lip-lock. Tino was having his way with him, toying with his oversensitive body and it felt so good. He slung his arms around the other's shoulders and held on tight, something he couldn't do freely last night because of the bondage around his wrists.

 _Do it…make me come!_

"Ah!...Ahh,"

Tino had every intention to make the man under him see stars, angling his finger and applying more pressure to that sweet spot while keeping his mouth occupied on the other's lips and kissing him feverishly. He groaned appreciatively when Berwald contracted around his finger tighter than before and the larger man's breath hitched before calling out his name in rapture. It was music to his ears and loud enough for the captain to hear. Tino smirked inwardly at the thought.

Berwald's vision went white for a moment from his orgasm and he found himself making more of a mess because of it. But his lover didn't seem to mind at all and was already cleaning him with his tongue.

"Mmm, such a wonderful meal," The Finn mewled, pulling the finger that just pleasured the other out of that enticing heat and licking the digit clean along with the residuals of his lover's spent off his body. His trousers became tight and he got excited from seeing the taller man come undone in front of him like that.

Cyan eyes hazy with lust traveled from Tino's salacious face to the obvious bulge down below. He crawled on top of him and made himself comfortable between the other's legs, pulling on the striped trousers and licking his lips. "Don't I get to eat too?" he whispered huskily into his beloved's ear.

"You didn't even need to ask, my dear," Tino cooed, shifting their positions a bit to make them both comfortable. His back was leaning against the headboard while the blond was on his elbows and nestled between his legs, lying flat on the bed.

Berwald palmed the other's erection before lowering his mouth over it. "I'll take care of it for you, my love." He loved how he could say such things so freely now. He always thought he would never call anybody by that term of endearment in his lifetime. But he did now, because of Tino. Anything was possible now that he had Tino.

"Thank you, Ber. I'm sure you'll ohh-!" A wet heat engulfed his whole member in one fluid movement and Tino's eyes slipped closed from the sensation. His beloved was sucking and licking him in all the right places, that skillful tongue making its way up and down the underside of his length before lingering over the head and teasing the slit there. He had a very nice view of the taller man between his legs and watched him work, the other's head bobbing up and down on his arousal. The wet gulping and slurping noises and groans coming from the other man was driving him over the edge fast.

Berwald would do anything for his beloved. Tino only had to say the word and he would do it. Such as in this case, he very much wanted to please the other and do everything he could to make Tino feel just as good as he made him feel. He loved seeing the platinum blond's pleasured face as much as the other loved to see his. His heart swelled with joy at the praise and words of endearment Tino was giving him through ragged breaths, a hand gently petting his hair and stroking his full cheeks, encouraging him.

They didn't care that it was only the afternoon and that Mathias was only down the hallway. In this room and on this bed, there was only the two of them.

"Ber…I'm-!"

Refusing to let go, Berwald gazed into Tino's bright violet eyes, telling him that it was okay and that he wanted it. A fervent lick and hard suck sent the message home.

With a loud, unrestrained groan, Tino came inside his lover's mouth.

The blond more than willingly swallowed the thick substance down his throat, savoring the taste that uniquely belonged to Tino. Some of the precious spent started dribbling down his chin, but he didn't let any of it go to waste, quickly swiping it off with his thumb before licking it clean. "Tastes so good," He then let himself be guided back up to meet loving purple eyes and a sweet kiss.

Now that they were both truly and fully satisfied, Tino resumed with the aftercare.

Berwald didn't notice it before, but on the meal tray the Finn brought back with him was not only their lunch, but a few additional medical supplies. He made himself comfortable on the black bed while his beloved applied the salve for his burns from the fire back on board the Red Fraction as well as for the marks left on him by the other. He has never been treated this kindly and gently before in all his years at the brothel. No one ever bothered to tend to his wounds or even say sorry for dealing them. He was always abandoned and left to treat them himself; so to have Tino here with him, smiling at him, his light voice soothing him and hands tenderly caring for him was something truly special to the former brothel worker. He cherished the gesture with all his heart and soul, hoping that Tino could grasp even a tiny bit of the immense gratitude he held in his cyan eyes when he peered lovingly at the smaller man. His beloved seemed to understand and paused in his work to peck him on the lips.

"I won't let him have you," Tino swore to himself as he fed Berwald the lunch left out for a bit too long. "If you'll let me, I will always keep you close."

Berwald leaned in so that their noses were touching. "I'd like that. We'll always be together."

* * *

For a whole week, Tino doted on him like a mother hen until he insisted that he could walk again and manage on his own; which was a shame, really, because he loved being spoiled and pampered by the other.

It was a time of relative peace on the ship, perfect for them to recover and spend time together.

During that week, the rifleman requested for Feliciano to deliver their meals to his room. Without question the chef happily obliged his friend. Whether or not the brunette understood and knew what was happening behind closed doors between the Reaper and the Lion of the North was something he kept to himself. When a few curious crewmates were brave enough to visit and inquire about the scuffle between the captain and rifleman, the Reaper greeted them but opened the door only by a sliver and never took a step outside his room. From behind the wooden door he would offer them the explanation that he was still recovering from his fight with Ivan the Terrible and so wasn't in the mood to deal with the captain's antics. This answer sufficed and soon they all left him alone, wishing they could've seen it for themselves how it went down between the Draugen's best fighters. Once that was done, Tino would close the door, never once revealing the other person inside his room before jumping back into awaiting open arms.

While he was bedridden, Berwald worked on fixing Tino's coat as well as his own garments that underwent a lot of punishment from their confrontation with Ivan and the Red Fraction's crew, taking his time mending the cuts and tears. He put in extra effort on his beloved's coat, Tino loving to watch him work and sometimes falling asleep on his shoulder.

Despite what others may think, for Berwald, the whole situation was pure bliss, and he only hoped that he would continue to wake up and doze off to Tino's voice, his soft touches and magnificent purple eyes that shone brightly and lovingly only for him.


	31. The Battle

**Song Title: The Battle** from the **Gladiator OST**

* * *

They were inseparable. Where there was one, the other was not too far behind. Peter didn't mind this at all because now he had both his friend and role model to play with him. And when Tino was assigned a bounty to hunt, he brought Berwald along with him. The rifleman would much rather have his beloved next to him and up against a bounty than leave him alone on the ship where he knew the captain was waiting and watching. This put Berwald at ease as well, because now he could stay by Tino's side and ensure his safety himself rather than worry to death inside the lonely room with the walls riddled with tally marks. He didn't even bother to put up the ruse of sleeping on the cot before going into Tino's room anymore and instead went straight there at night where Tino waited for him with open arms, the Finn refusing to sleep until they were both in the bed. Their love was still a secret to the rest of the crew, and it seemed to remain that way because the captain himself kept it under wraps as well, his pride refusing to acknowledge anything that has happened in the Reaper's room not so long ago. His sparse attempts to swoop in and claim Berwald for himself when the rifleman wasn't looking always ended in vain, but he refused to admit defeat. Unfortunately for the North Sea King, the Reaper and the Lion of the North were ready for him, happy to be by each other's side in both waking and non-waking hours.

However, it was a shaky arrangement.

With each passing day and tense encounter with the Dane, Berwald felt a stronger urge to get himself and Tino away from the Draugen and its captain's clutches. The unspoken thought was always a white elephant when the two were alone in the black room. He could be persuasive if he had to be, but regardless, words were never his strong suit. And it only made it worse that it was Tino who he wanted to discuss this with.

He knew the Finn was touchy about the subject matter as well. Although Tino thought he didn't see it, Berwald has caught the death glares sent the blond captain's way from the rifleman when they crossed paths on the deck and the terse conversations they had, keeping it strictly related to the Draugen's welfare and bounty hunts. Whatever familial ties that were once there was gone - it was purely a relationship between captain and subordinate now.

Berwald thought he could just live with it, push it aside and accept it just like how he did with the other misfortunes of his life.

Until one day when he was cleaning out the storage room, something happened that changed his mind.

He was hardly focused on his work, listlessly wiping down the shelves.

Tino was summoned by the captain to have a private discussion, the Finn assuring him that it would be quick and that he would be right back. He was only a hallway and corner down from him.

"Ohhh!"

A huge wave of commotion rose on the deck just above where Berwald was situated. The ceiling rumbled as heavy footsteps stampeded on the oak floorboards above him, crewmates hollering and cheering like madmen in the middle of the ocean.

"Oi, what are ya doin' just standin' there? The captain and Reaper are havin' at it up on the deck!" A crewmate called to him, excitement clearly ringing in his sharp voice.

"What?!"

 _Weren't they supposed to be in the captain's cabin?_

"C'mon, or yer gonna miss the show!"

Berwald followed the lanky man down the hall and up the stairs leading to the deck where a swarm of bodies was already gathered around the spectacle. At the outer-most part of the cluster, he saw the two youngest pirates jumping up and down like rabbits in order to get even the slightest glimpse of the showdown taking place.

Peter appeared more worried than excited this time, not wanting either of his role models to get injured too badly. He sensed that this wasn't a normal sparring match.

"Yer crossin' a very dangerous line, mate!" Berwald heard Mathias snarl at his opponent. His words were accompanied by the sound of metal hitting wood.

"Yeah!" The spectators bellowed.

Pushing his way through the crowd of wild pirates, the Swede only got as close as a few feet away from the edge of the inner ring formed around the two fighters. But even from here he could see Tino without any weapons to defend himself with against the captain's large pole axe, Maelstrom, gleaming in the afternoon sun.

"I was merely stating a fact, captain," the rifleman retorted flatly, ducking out of the heavy blade's way. "Why do you fight, when you know you will lose?"

"I haven't lost anything!" It became obvious the North Sea King was on the offensive. His grip on the long weapon tight, the Dane led an onslaught of slashes at the smaller male, switching the axe between his left and right hand for consecutive swings. Even when his back was turned to the Finn at some points, the head of the axe would always be there to cover for him when he spun the weapon around him by the handle. "I won't lose to you…I'll never lose to you!"

The Reaper, on the other hand, was patient and took his time dodging the barrage of attacks sent his way. Light feet gliding across the deck, the metal blade was never far behind him, leaving cracked floors in its wake. As rash as the captain may be, there weren't a lot of openings for him to exploit. The heavy swings were easy enough to dodge, but because of the advantage of range the blond had over him, it was difficult to get a good hit in. He had to close the distance between them somehow…There was also the fact that he was completely unarmed. It was foolish to have gone to the captain without Huurre and Kuutamo at his side. He didn't think things would escalate so quickly and that the captain would reach for his axe and strike him with it in the cabin.

"Get 'im, Reaper!"

"C'mon, captain!"

"Oi, that's mine!"

Berwald ignored the angry pirate growling at him when he took the man's cutlass right from his sheath and threw it into the center of the ring. It was the least he could do to aid his beloved while he was stuck among the sea of spectators. "Tino!"

The Finn turned when his name was called by his beloved's voice and was immediately grateful when he saw the blade flying towards his direction. With grace and precision, he dodged the incoming swing from his captain and caught the sailing cutlass by its handle, giving it a comfortable twirl in his hand before keeping it poised, ready to strike at the first opportunity. He flashed the tall blond in the crowd a smile before turning his attention back to his opponent.

"Now that's more like it!"

The excitement was palpable on the deck, Berwald caught in the midst of it all. Although he hated to see the two fight, he just couldn't tear his eyes away from it all. Like trained performers and acrobats, the blades whirled, spun, and twirled all around the two pirates. Mathias hacked and slashed in very smooth motions, the transition of the axe from one hand to the other to chain his hits occurred so naturally and flowed with the rhythm of their duel. It was almost mesmerizing the way the axe blade spun and moved as it glistened when it caught the sunlight at certain angles. Tino was equally graceful if not even more so. As if waltzing, he took coordinated steps in order to evade one slash after the next without skipping a beat, the tattered ends of the black long coat swishing to and fro behind him as he did so. The rifleman dared not let the two weapons meet head-on – parrying something as heavy-set as Maelstrom with only his cutlass would shatter the blade. Agile and swift, he would step in closer whenever the axe came down on him and lash out at its owner, only to have his cutlass blocked by the steel handle the captain would raise in order to protect himself. The rifleman would then have to back handspring out of the way again when the axe head came back up and the process would repeat itself.

Like the ocean waves below them, the mass of pirates pushed forward and then receded to the motion of the two fighters, always trying to get close enough to see the blood on their faces but at the same time far away from the blades clashing and clanging. The circle moved from one spot to the next, never staying in one place for very long. And depending on what the fighters were doing, the circle would either widen or narrow, the spectators making way lest they wanted to get hacked down in the process.

"I'm done playin' games with you! Know your place!" Breaking from his usual moveset, Mathias charged at his subordinate and swung straight down.

"…!" The blade plunged into the floor and wouldn't have reached the platinum blond even if he hadn't taken a step back. There was an opening near the captain's legs but when he slashed, nothing was there. "What-!" Tino held the face of his cutlass up in front of him to protect himself, but it wasn't enough as a heavy weight crashed into him. His grip on his weapon slacked from the impact and fell away from him.

"Ha…what did I tell ya?" Mathias had missed on purpose, the initial attack used to set himself up so that he could swing on the pole of his axe planted in the floor and use the momentum of the charge to lift both feet up to dodge the cutlass and kick them squarely in the rifleman's chest. His boots made contact with its target and sent the smaller male flying back. The captain didn't waste any time, however, and once his boots landed on the floor again he lifted the axe once more over his head, livid blue eye boring into bright violet. "You'll always be beneath me!" And with that he brought the blade down on the unarmed man still on the ground.

"Tino!"

 _He really does want to kill him!_

The platinum blond rolled out of the way just in time, the axe splintering the wood of the floorboard next to his face. Without a word or moment to waste, he executed a leg sweep from under the larger man.

"Whoa!"

 **Thud!**

Mathias collapsed onto his back and shook the very floor beneath him. Unsuccessfully, he found that he couldn't right himself up and his world was spinning.

Grabbing onto one of his captain's legs, Tino hoisted and dragged the man across the floor to the edge of the deck. "Ready for a swim, captain?"

"Let me go!" But try as he might to kick and squirm, the iron grip refused to relinquish him and his back skidded across the floorboards.

"But of course," the Reaper replied easily, sarcastically. In an amazing display of might he lifted the taller blond by the leg, spinning around twice with Mathias in tow before throwing him over the rails and off the deck.

"Guh!" The North Sea King knocked into a couple of his men before disappearing from sight.

"Man overboard!"

Tino walked over to the ledge himself after picking up his abandoned weapon, but he didn't need to look to say "Not quite."

Long pole axe still in one hand, Mathias was hanging on the side of the Draugen before pulling himself back up onto the deck. "Why you little-!"

"On your feet, captain." The Reaper demanded coldly, pointing the tip of his cutlass in the Dane's direction. His insanity was kept in check, but there was still anger set in his features. "I want to settle this once and for all." He may be an underling, but he had Berwald and that was all he needed and very proud of that fact. No amount of gold and rarest of gems could ever buy the Swede off him. Berwald was the one thing Tino refused to give up to his captain. He wanted to ensure his love's and their relationship's safety, and for that he would turn against his captain and fight. He would fight off the whole crew if he had to. Mathias glowered at him before charging in with axe raised, what little composure he had left cast overboard.

"You dare tell _me_ what to do?! I'll crush you!" He roared and jumped before bringing the axe head down on the Reaper.

But the Finn slithered out of the way by an inch, placing his foot down on the blade so that it remained in the wood it struck and broke.

The North Sea King quickly retaliated by gathering his strength and lifting the weapon all the way up with the other still on it like before, launching him into the air.

The crowd went wild at the scene.

"You got 'im now!"

"I'll slice ya in half before ya even land!" The Dane positioned himself and had his axe poised and ready to hack the rifleman in mid-flight.

 _Tino!_

Berwald watched as the platinum blond sailed across the sky for a bit before beginning his descent.

Tino's face was placid and nearly angelic. The tattered ends of the coat fanned out behind him, casting a large shadow over the captain of the Draugen.

"Come meet your end, Reaper!" His insolent subordinate was nearly in striking range now. "You'll have plenty of time to regret ever crossin' me in the afterlife!"

"Ohhh!"

"No way!"

"What?!"

Maelstrom swung at nothing but air as it missed its target by a hair's breadth.

The Reaper fully evaded the blade with all his limbs intact. Instead of holding his cutlass out in front of him to take the brunt of the hit, the platinum blond took an atypical approach. Timing it just right, he twisted and spun his body in midair so that he moved away from the horizontal strike, the flat face of the blade flying right below him and against his back before following through clear of him. The ends of his coat unfurled and rippled like a black flag behind him in a grand display from the motion.

The surrounding pirates gasped and cheered, the Draugen itself coming to life as they witnessed the death-defying stunt.

Once the axe passed under him, the rifleman reached a hand out to hold onto the pole part of the weapon and let himself be guided by it before tugging harshly on it.

"Hey! What are ya-!" Mathias found himself being pulled in closer in his attempts to keep his weapon in his hands. The distance between him and the descending man quickly closed and the Reaper had him right where he wanted him.

"This ends now."

"Gah!" The taller blond's vision blurred for a moment and he was staring straight into menacing violet eyes above him, knocked onto the floor by the other's weight on him. His arms instinctively held his weapon up in order to create some space between them, Maelstrom's handle the only thing keeping him from being completely squished under the Finn's boots.

"Who's beneath who now, captain?" The Reaper had a more graceful landing, using the larger blond to break his fall and both feet hitting the man's chest. He shifted one foot to remain over the metal axe's handle, applying constant pressure on the struggling Dane to keep him still. The other foot was planted firmly on the floorboard for better balance.

"Damn you!" Mathias cursed through haggard breaths and kicked up futilely. "I'll gut ya fer this!"

This made the Reaper smile sardonically. "Not if I gut you first." And with that he raised his cutlass high above his head.

"Finish him!"

"Is Reaper really gonna do it?"

"Who knows? And who cares?!"

 **Boom!**

A couple of smoke bombs were thrown into the center of the fighting circle and enshrouded the whole group in its thick grey smog.

"All right, break it up you two!" A voice broke through all the commotion followed by a puffin screeching the same command.

"Curses!" A rapier tip speared through the shroud and forced Tino to take a step back, releasing his victim.

"What the hell's goin' on?"

"Are we under attack?"

When the smoke was finally thin enough for everyone on deck to stop coughing and see through its thin wisps, the curtain of fumes lifted to reveal two more fighters taking center stage.

Nyk and the Deacon of Dark River, with their respective weapons in hand, had their blades raised at the Reaper.

"It's your win, Reaper." Lukas declared, standing in the way between the rifleman and the captain still lying on the floor. As much as he found his older sibling insufferable, the man was still family and as long as he could help it, he would defend him when need be. He kept his stance wide, white gloved hand with the turquoise ring holding tightly onto the gilded handle of his rapier. His comrade and friend has become a lot more hostile lately. The navigator knew the Finn was a reasonable and calm fellow, even peace-loving…so his recent behavior was most baffling. The other's bloodlust and mania has been rising frequently. Something was bothering him, and Lukas just knew his idiotic older brother had something to do with it. "That's enough, there's no point in continuing this fight."

The Reaper refused to stand down, keeping his cutlass raised. However, he didn't dare move from his position because of another person behind him. He snarled threateningly, giving his assailant a sidelong glance.

"What's with you lately?" Emil had snuck up on the platinum blond from behind and had his curved dagger at the man's throat. The second mate really didn't want to be doing this at all – the Reaper was a kind and close companion of his. And to have to threaten him like this to protect Mathias wasn't sitting well with him at all. "You've just fought Ivan the Terrible…isn't that enough?"

"Grr, stand aside!…I…" Tino looked into the crowd and saw Berwald.

Those cyan eyes reflected worry and a certain reluctance, the same expression held in both Lukas and Emil.

The volume of the spectators was dying out now, the crew holding their breaths at what would happen next. Were they going to be lucky and see a fight between the Reaper and the first and second mate? A wave of disappointment and jeers sprang forth on the deck at the outcome.

Tino's violet eyes were downcast and shoulders hunched over as he lowered his weapon slowly. "I apologize for my behavior…" he muttered.

Both brothers sensed the authenticity in those words and deemed the crisis averted. They knew the Reaper was honorable and would no longer continue fighting when the battle was declared over. He would stay his hand.

"Can I just have one more word with the captain?"

Lukas nodded his approval at the innocent-enough request and put Grim back into its scabbard resting at his waist. Silently he stepped aside for the rifleman to pass.

Emil lowered the Bitter Touch from his target's throat and backed away to give the platinum blond space, the puffin on his shoulder ruffling his black feathers and squawking distastefully.

"Thank you." He went over to the taller man sitting up on the floorboards with his legs crossed, recovering from the blow dealt to him.

Mathias' brain was still bouncing around in his skull from the hit he took to the head against the hard oak.

After all that the captain has said about him and Berwald, Tino didn't want the other to have the last laugh. So when he was close enough to the growling Dane, Tino knelt down beside him, whispering into his ear lowly so that no one else could hear what he was about to say next. "You were outside my door the other night. What did you hope to accomplish, captain?" he taunted while smirking at the dazed blond. "I'm sorry I couldn't answer the door…but you see, I was watching Ber prepare and open himself up for me. And I just couldn't resist,"

"…!" Mathias' hand twitched on the handle of his axe.

Tino had him now and added that last bit knowing that it would cause his captain's blood to boil. "Did you want to have a taste of my treasure? Well," He licked his lips at the memory of what he did to his beloved that made the man scream wantonly and brought the Dane to his door that night. "I can tell you right now that dear Ber is simply succulent and so decadent. I devoured him and helped myself to seconds."

"You son of a bitch!" The North Sea King swung a fist straight into his traitorous subordinate, but the other dodged it with a dark chuckle, stood back up to his full height, and took his leave without another word.

The cutlass casually slipped and fell from its owner's hand where it drove into the wooden floor and fastened itself upright near the defeated captain.

The astonished crowd parted for their champion as he made his way towards his room, unbeknownst to them all that a certain tall blond among them followed silently after.


	32. Et s'il fallait le faire

**Song Title: Et s'il fallait le faire (And if it had to be done)** by **Patricia Kaas**

* * *

It was a few days after the brawl on the deck that relative harmony returned to the Draugen. The usually exuberant and boisterous captain of the ship became unusually quiet, staying inside his room to lick his wounds and injured pride. He chalked up his "defeat" to the fact that he could have turned it around if only his brothers hadn't intervened and called off the match. However, should a dubious soul dare to question his strength and authority, he would be sure to lash out at him. The North Sea King may have lost the duel, but he was still their captain! The victor, the Reaper, made no grasp at the title himself and was content with just staying in his room with his beloved undisturbed. The rumors and recollection of the fight lingered like an incessant fog cast over the vessel as it docked in a large town for supplies and repairs. The dents, scrapes, holes, and slashes left by the two fighters weren't going to fix themselves.

The recent conflict was what broke Berwald's back and pushed him to speak up and voice his concerns. He didn't know what Mathias and Tino were talking about that led to their confrontation, but he just knew at one point he was mentioned. Why else would the two argue? Tino was vague in his answer upon inquiry.

Although a goal and amount has been set for his freedom, in reality he could never attain it for a couple of reasons. His funds were entirely drained from buying the antidote and he refused when Tino offered to pay him back in full along with a little extra for his troubles. Berwald simply would not allow his beloved to pay for his carelessness. Mathias was unaware of this little detail of course, so it only made things worse when the captain kept raising his debt beyond measure now at any given opportunity.

The North Sea King was doing everything in his power to not-so-subtly keep him here on the ship. He was a sore loser and refused to let the Swede go.

The other thing holding him back was harder to admit and much more abstract. Even if Berwald himself escaped, Tino would remain on the Draugen, bound to it. Would the Finn follow him? What would he do? What could Berwald do?

Regardless of the situation, Mathias was never letting him go willingly, and things were becoming very clear to him – if Berwald truly wanted to be a free man, he would have to leave by his own means and terms. The whole dilemma was so precarious, and the blond had no idea how to approach Tino about it…but he had to one way or another.

This could no longer wait.

He could no longer ignore the problem that has always plagued him and take it lying down. The calling to be free, to live life the way he wanted to and shape his own future was stronger than ever before and he must answer it.

He has been waiting for far too long.

So it was on a sunny day when the Draugen was still at port that Berwald found his voice and made his thoughts known.

They were in Tino's room, the taller male leaning back against the headboard of the bed with Tino in between his legs, the Finn's back against his chest and reading from his book. Berwald was following along in the novel and when they reached the end of one of the chapters, he bent down and whispered into the other's ear "We should run away,"

Tino visibly flinched at the soft words and he lowered the book in his hands, never turning around to meet his beloved's cyan eyes. His next sentence was carefully thought out before it left his mouth. "I'm sorry, Ber, but I don't think that's the best course of action for us right now,"

"Why not?" The bespectacled man couldn't hide the shocked, disappointed, and nearly incriminating tone in his voice at his lover's response. It was the best and only course of action they should be taking! They should have done this long ago before things between them and the captain escalated to this sorry state.

The smaller male actually didn't have a substantive answer for that, so he chose to sidestep the question altogether. "I'm sure I can talk it out with the captain for him to leave us alone. I just need more time…"

"But ya've tried that already," Berwald's arms wound themselves around the platinum blond tightly, trying to bring the other closer to himself and resting his head on his shoulder. The arguments he heard from the other side of the double doors to the captain's cabin always ended with one of them storming out and the dispute left unsettled. "It didn't work…it'll never work." Berwald knew Mathias was a man of action rather than words, and if that display on the deck was not enough to drive home the message, nothing would ever be.

The captain of the Draugen was not going to change his mind, diplomacy wasted on the Dane.

Inwardly, Tino knew this as well. The other couldn't see him biting his lower lip as he reached out a hand to grasp at one of the arms around his torso. "I have to keep trying…it's the only way."

"Or we can get off this ship right now," the Swede urged. "Run away with me, Tino."

 _Why won't you say yes? Why won't you look at me?_

Shamefaced, Tino replied weakly "I'm sorry…that's not possible…I can never leave."

"What are ya saying?!" Berwald was completely appalled by the words leaving his beloved's mouth, his voice growing louder. "What d'ya mean ya can't leave?" Of course he could walk away from all of this with him! Why was Tino hesitating?

The Finn picked up on his lover's thinning patience over what the other man thought was his unreasonable line of thinking. He finally turned around to face the bespectacled male. "You don't think I haven't tried to escape before?"

It was then that Berwald realized the look in Tino's eyes - they were of crushed hope from years of failure, a man who has given up…a body void of a soul. A deadman.

"He'll find me, he always finds me, Berwald." Tino continued. "I tried…but each time Mathias and his brothers would catch me. I couldn't beat them all on my own,"

"But ya won't be alone this time," the taller blond insisted, hands gripping on the other's shoulders and squeezing them tightly as if begging for him to understand. He was sure if it was the two of them against the three brothers, they would win. Again Tino was avoiding his gaze, violet eyes staring off to the corner of the room.

The rifleman went on to say "Even if I left, what will I do? I'm not talented like you," He sighed heavily, as if this whole conversation was weighing down on his hopeless soul. "I don't have any other skills to survive on my own. Unlike you I can't cook, sew, practice medicine, do woodwork or anything like that…" Tino then gathered the courage to look at his beloved in the face. "I can only kill…"

Berwald was having none of these excuses. "You _are_ talented, Tino. It's okay, we'll work this out together. I'll be there for you,"

Tino still wasn't convinced. He was afraid. "I won't fit in. I can never go back to being a normal civilian…" His eyes were downcast and he fisted his hands onto the black bed sheets beneath him. "There's something wrong with me…in my heart…a feeling that festers and bubbles. It would tell me to spill blood..." He mournfully admitted the abhorrent truth. "I am a deadman…I need to kill-"

"No yer not!" Berwald shook the man in his arms, trying to convince him otherwise. His emotions were running high and he didn't know how much longer he could rein them in. "Don't say that! Tino, yer only suffering and killing your own kindness by staying here,"

"..."

He paused, his voice heavy. "I don't want to do this anymore...I don't want us to live like this...I don't want you to get hurt anymore..."

"...Ber..."

How many more times did he have to see his lover near death before it was enough?

How much more blood did Tino have to spill before he was satisfied?

How much longer did they have to wait until they could have their happy ending?

"Please..." Berwald thought himself a man hard to upset, but with Tino his emotions were in overdrive. Over wire-rimmed glasses he looked at his crestfallen angel. "Why, Tino? Tell me…"

The Finn could only apologize softly, not wanting to fight back. His voice was so soft and small compared to Berwald's. The hands sliding lifelessly away from him and those blue-green eyes swimming with sorrow and a kind of desperation tore at Tino's heartstrings. He felt so conflicted, but could no longer stand seeing the man so upset. Therefore it was with a heavy heart that he honestly answered in a voice barely above a whisper "We may have our differences, but Mathias is…he is still a friend and dear comrade." The mutual trust and bond they shared was the reason why neither killed the other yet all this time during their conflict. It was the reason why the North Sea King allowed him to hold onto Berwald for as long as he did and respected his wishes…why he hasn't sic his men on him yet. For Tino, it was the reason why he hasn't slit the Dane's throat yet. They were both suffering deadmen and shared each other's pain.

"What?!"

"Mathias took me in when I had nowhere else to go…he, Lukas and Emil…we're like family. I can't abandon them; it isn't right."

Was Berwald hearing the other man right? Was the heart of the matter as to why the rifleman wouldn't leave was because he was bound here by his own sense of honor and loyalty? It was something Berwald himself couldn't fix. That only left one despairing question.

"Then…what am I to you?"

"…Ber…"

It hurt, and the question was heavier than any anchor.

Was their love for naught?

"Was I a temporary thing for you?" Was Tino going to throw him out now that he was becoming an inconvenience? He wasn't unfamiliar with the treatment, but coming from the Finn his heart tore in two at the thought. His throat was closing up at how much it all hurts and the miserable way his beloved was looking at him.

"No! Of course not!" Tino instinctively reached a hand up to caress the taller man's cheek, but withdrew the moment the Swede pulled away from his cold fingertips. The silent rejection spoke volumes and made his chest tight and heart heavy. "Berwald…"

Berwald's lips remained pursed together and he refused to answer to that beckoning voice pleading for him to look at the other. It was hard to believe anything the platinum blond was saying anymore.

Their bodies were suddenly too close for comfort on the bed.

Tino sighed a very heavy and mournful sigh. It expressed the weight hanging over both men in the black room. "I love you…so much and always will…which is why I have to let you go!"

The other wasn't making any sense to him.

"I was hoping that we could be together on the ship, but now it's obvious that's impossible..." Tino shook his head pitifully. "It's dangerous; it always has been for you…You need to be free from here,"

"I won't leave unless ya come with me!" he yelled at the smaller man.

"That can't be, Berwald."

This was only upsetting Berwald more and more and he hated arguing with Tino. It was a horrible feeling and made him say things he never thought he would say to the love of his life. "How can ya talk about friends and family when you just said yer a killer?" he growled, mad at both himself and the other.

Tino remained impassive.

"I thought you'd care…that you actually have a heart and understand…that you loved me…" The Swede's voice was tight and strained with frustration. He couldn't contain the feelings tearing out his heart anymore and let them take control of him. Berwald was saying anything and everything on his mind without any regards to the other suffering man, his comments unfiltered and laced with a subconscious intention of hurting the platinum blond. Seeing Tino dumbstruck only made him glare at the man harder as he spat out "But I guess that's too much to ask from a demented killer like you!"

Shame slowly turned into a grimace on Tino's face, a dangerous glint in his violet eyes. "I suppose I can say the same to a prostitute such as yourself." But as soon as the words left his mouth and he saw Berwald's wounded expression, he stopped himself. His dark and murderous tone disappeared completely as he offered "I'm sorry, Ber-"

The man shot up from the black bed and stormed out without so much as taking one last look at the distraught Finn he left behind.

The bed was suddenly very cold and the room too big for Tino. Mindlessly, he got up and closed the door quietly behind himself. From where he was sitting on the empty mattress, the silence was suffocating him. There was no other heartbeat or breathing to listen to. There wasn't another person next to him. There wasn't anyone here to remind him that he was alive.

The blue-green ocean outside his window knew nothing of what just happened, and the four skulls hanging on the wall peered mockingly at him through their hollow sockets.

"I really messed up this time..." Tino said bitterly to himself, leaning his forehead against the cold glass of the window.

But if it had to be done, Tino would willingly give Berwald up in order to free the man. It was for his beloved's own good, even if the other didn't think so at the moment. Time would heal the other's heart, and he would find another - someone far better than a psychotic, murderous pirate.

But Tino would never forget him, and if he could become just a shadow that watches over the man, silent and content, how wonderful would that be?

A pain he hasn't felt in a very long time tugged at his non-beating heart. Tino thought he was used to all kinds of aches by now, but this one made him clutch at his chest and refused to let him breathe. It was as though his heart was torn asunder and bleeding out. He shut his eyes to the world that was too bright for him and he felt like shouting and crying out to it pathetically. But nothing escaped his throat, his expression turned solemn and his eyes remained dry. Violet orbs revealed themselves once more from behind heavy eyelids, staring out at nothing through the window lifelessly.

 _I'm so sorry, Berwald…I love you_

* * *

Berwald was bitter, angry tears streaming down his face as he barrelled his way through the halls of the Draugen to wherever his feet took him. It didn't even occur to him until now that he had just insulted and angered the Reaper himself – the one of a pirate's nightmare. The rifleman who could easily snap a man in two if he looked at him the wrong way or wasn't on his good side. But it was too late for that now; he didn't care at this point. He didn't bother wiping his face or concealing his distraught from the crewmates who passed him by. Their quips and questions died in their throats with one look at the scowl on the Swede's face. Eventually his lungs grew too tight and his feet turned to lead and he had no choice but to stop on the deck. Glaring out at the ocean the color similar to his eyes, the bespectacled man cursed at the whole situation, the shambles of his life, as well as himself.

Why couldn't Tino understand that he was doing this for the both of them?! That he wanted to save Tino from this horrid lifestyle?

His gloved hands gripped tightly onto the recently polished rails.

The Finn was the only one who looked past his former profession and saw him as so much more. He took the time to know him and believed in him when he didn't even believe in himself. Tino raised him up when he was at his lowest and was the beacon of light in his darkest hour. He meant everything to Berwald now.

However, he wasn't everything to Tino – the man's reluctance to leave the Draugen was proof enough of this cruel fact. It made Berwald lean over the oak rail for support and howl on the open deck.

Soon enough, being on the same ship as the platinum blond and knowing that the man was so near yet so far became too much for him. With his face still red and streaked with tears that haven't completely dried off, Berwald heaved himself off the Draugen without giving a damn. No one dared to question or stop him – they had no idea of his intentions.

The Swede meandered into town and stayed there until dusk. Perhaps when night fell he would take off and head inland where the Draugen could not reach him.

He thought he could do it, go into town and never come back…but he just couldn't. Not when Tino still remained on the ship.

 _Is he waiting for me?_

No, Berwald refused to give the Reaper the satisfaction of seeing him crawl back into his arms when it was so obvious how little he meant to him. All that time spent walking in town and yet he still couldn't shake off the baggage from their argument earlier that afternoon. He hated himself even more when he found himself boarding back on the cursed ship later that night. However, Berwald still had enough dignity and pride to avoid coming back into the grand hall that led to the room of a certain rifleman. Or perhaps, it was just sheer stubbornness and foolishness that coerced him into sleeping on his old cot again.

The moonless and starless night outside the window next to him was bleak and dismal.

There was no soft voice to accompany and comfort him that night. No warm body next to his for him to hold as the ship bobbed lazily up and down in a constant motion on the water. There was no one to justify his existence and worth; no one to love him and for him to love.

The long-abandoned cot with its foul odor was like a sheet of ice beneath him.

 **Clink.**

"…?" Upon attempting to make himself decently comfortable on the small cot and turning over onto his side, his arm went under the pillow where it came into contact with something bulky.

A large bag of gold held closed by a draw-string came into view when Berwald fished the item out from under his pillow. The amount inside was easily worth more than a couple of antidotes and then some.

In the dark sleeping quarters, Berwald clutched the bag angrily and threw it against the wall opposite of him where it clattered and spilled its contents all over the floor. The thunderous sound of coins hitting the wooden floorboards shattered the silent stillness around him, but no one stirred from their slumber.

He didn't need the other's pity or help! He wasn't some cheap whore who could be bought!

But Berwald so felt like one at the moment, he really did.

He felt used again…all along, all this time.

The blond cried himself to sleep that night. Everything hurt so much – his heart, his hopeless situation, their disillusioned relationship…

But what pained him the most and made him curl in on himself on the cot was the fact that despite everything that has been said and done, Berwald still loved Tino.

He loved him with all his heart, soul, and broken body.

* * *

When night turned to day and took with it the hostile feelings and thoughts, Berwald woke up with a better sense of control over his emotions. The guilt, sorrow, and bitterness still weighed him down, but he was strong enough now to burden such feelings and confront Tino about them like he should have done from the very beginning. The Swede was ready to apologize to his beloved and beg for his forgiveness. He wanted for them to talk it out and work together towards a solution they could both live with. He wanted them to be happy again. He wanted all of this and more with Tino when he neared the man's room and knocked on the door.

No answer came from the other side.

"Tino?" He tried again but softer this time and more timidly.

 _Is he still mad at me?_

"Tino, I'm sorry. Can I come in, please?" Furtively his hand went over the doorknob and he was surprised when it turned.

The door opened to reveal a cold, black, and empty room.

Tino was gone with the night's shadows and nowhere to be found.


	33. Solitude

**Song Title: Solitude** from the **Parasyte OST**

* * *

The edge of the large town was quiet and lovely in the early morning sun, but did nothing to dull the ache in Tino's bleeding heart. He knew Berwald couldn't stand the sight of him at the moment, or his very presence on the ship and so took off as soon as the sun peeked its head out from over the horizon. Throughout the day the Finn struggled with focusing between his morbid thoughts and steering clear of the public eye. Out of habit he had grabbed his skull mask and donned it while heading into town, not wanting anyone to see the pitiful face beneath it.

The fearsome Reaper looked so pathetic at the moment with the way he carried himself meaninglessly on the streets.

The conversation he had with his beloved yesterday was a complete disaster. Tino knew Berwald always wanted to leave the Draugen as soon as he was able; it was what the Swede desired since stepping foot on the vessel that fateful day. He had no right to stop the man from going…it's just that he couldn't follow…

Why did loyalty and love have to compete against each other like so within him?

He must have sounded selfish back there, but what he said in regards to his fears and apprehension about leaving were all true. Life out at sea was the only life Tino knew how to live. He was an animal that should never be released into society, the Draugen serving as his cage until the day he was put to rest.

It was bound to happen…from Berwald running away to him remaining on the Draugen. It was a fundamental flaw in their relationship, yet they ignored it for far too long and now it was all coming down on them like a house of cards.

Berwald was wrong. The man wasn't a temporary thing to him; his love wasn't temporary. But their circumstance was.

 _It's me…I'm the problem_

He was the reason why Berwald couldn't leave, tied to the Draugen and all its bloodshed.

 _If I was out of the picture…ah…didn't he tell me not to think like that?_

The deadman couldn't help it sometimes…not this time.

The sun was beginning to set – a whole day has gone without Berwald by his side.

Tino was torn.

He wanted to avoid the other and the tension between them. But at the same time he wanted to return to him, to say he was sorry and kiss away the tears he last saw the man shed as he scrambled out of the room.

He was losing focus of his surroundings, winding this way and that on the paved stone roads until the darkness completely engulfed the large town.

The platinum blond had hoped that being away would clear his head and help him think straight, but to no avail. He saw no solution in sight to their dilemma.

Lamps were soon lit and the windows of homes turned to black from townsfolk getting ready to turn in for the night.

 _I should head back…maybe he's waiting for me. Or maybe he's many miles away from here_ _…_

Tino frowned from behind his white mask.

It was only a matter of time before enough was enough and Berwald would leave one way or another and find his freedom. He could run off and never come back if he wanted to and leave Tino behind – which was the best he could do for his beloved.

Dragging his feet, the rifleman took his time heading back to the Draugen in the late hour, slinking through alleyways despite being under the cover of night. They would be resting here for a while, Mathias having grown lethargic since their fight.

"Hmm?" The Finn slowed in his steps when he heard scuffling further up ahead in the lightless alley.

The thick clouds above blotted out all the stars and constellations above him so that he walked in the shadows.

"Let me go! Somebody help me!"

 **Smack!**

"Shut up, bitch!"

Tino was done with concealing himself and watching the scene unfold near the end of the alley that opened up to the main street. Silently, he pulled his pistol out from its holster.

"I paid yer husband to have ya for the whole night and I expect it to be a good one! So ya better start-"

 **Bang!**

A shot in the dark followed by a shriek echoed in the alleyway as the man assaulting the woman fell to his side and slumped dead against the grimy wall he was pinning her to.

"What the hell's goin' on here? What?!" Another male came from around the corner and stopped when he saw his client dead and merchandise pale as a ghost. "You bitch! What did you do?!"

 **Bang!**

He fell dead as well.

"Are you all right?" Tino carefully approached the young blonde. She was wearing work clothes and an apron in the front – not at all like a lady of the night. He could only imagine how this all came to be…

"Y-Yes…I umm," When the poor blonde finally regained her senses and stood up among the corpses on either side of her, she turned towards the soft voice in the darkness. "Thank…" All the words died in her throat the moment the smallest bit of light from a nearby lamp post caught the white surface of the skull mask her savior was wearing.

Tino recoiled from the ear-shattering scream the woman let out before she dashed out of the alleyway now reeking of blood and decaying flesh.

"Help me! It's the Reaper! He's here!" She cried hysterically down the street once she recognized that the person who saved her was the infamous pirate.

He had been careless.

"S-Stop right where you are, Reaper!" A voice meekly traveled down to the deeper part of the alleyway where Tino was residing among the two bodies bleeding out of their heads. A young police officer with his musket pointed a bit too low on his target and dark buttoned coat a bit too big on his shoulders confronted the feared killer. The officer had gone to investigate when he heard the gunshots and saw the woman running out of the alley.

Tino noticed the man's fingers were gripping the handle of the gun too tightly. He made no motion to flee from the scene of the crime. The young officer was shaking, firearm hardly leveled as he pointed it at him.

 _He looks so frightened_

"C-Come quietly with me. I'll have to turn you in,"

The Finn slowly put the white flintlock pistol away in order to make the policeman less tense. He then made a gesture of surrender, allowing the young man to put the chained shackles around his wrists and lead him away.

This was the perfect escape to all of his problems and the one he has been searching for.

"You are very brave, you know that?" Tino spoke lightly to the young officer leading him through the streets to a large abandoned building that served as the town's makeshift prison. He hoped that making conversation with the lad would help calm the man's nerves.

The officer jolted from his words but upon understanding what was just said to him, looked to the side bashfully. He continued to hold onto his gun for dear life. "T-Thanks…"

Tino chuckled a bit before adding "You remind me of someone I know…always so shy and quiet. You're doing a good job. You should be more confident in yourself."

"Uh…umm…" The inexperienced officer didn't know how to take the compliment.

They passed by a home where a baby was crying in the middle of the night. But as soon as the Reaper's shadow casted over the window, a hush fell upon the household and remained that way.

For some reason the policeman was soothed by the pirate's voice, and in the other's presence he found himself revealing "Actually, I'm still very new to this. I just started taking on this job to support my family." He couldn't help grinning and sharing this with the pirate. "My wife and I just had our first daughter,"

"Really? Is that so?" The bound man sounded genuinely interested. "I'm so happy for you!"

Before long, the new father was openly talking about his life, wife and child to this stranger as they headed to the barred building. In return, his captive responded with enthusiasm and pleasant remarks about him. It was when they neared the decrepit place that the officer suddenly slowed in his steps and turned to the platinum blond. Was this really the pirate all of his superiors warned him about? The elusive Reaper with a large bounty on his head? The pirate was certainly much nicer and more polite in person.

The policeman was beginning to have his doubts. "Are you really him? The Reaper?" This man could just be impersonating the legendary pirate for infamy or something of that sort.

"Hm? Oh," the Finn paused for a bit to remove his mask and offered it to the skeptical man. "Yes, I am. You can hold onto that as proof that it's really me." With his porcelain face revealed, the other could see his sad smile. "Why do you ask?"

The officer had to take a moment to remember how to breathe after taking a look at that serene face. "N-No, it's just…they told me you kill people without a second thought…" The chains he held the pirate by were slipping from his hands. He was beginning to hesitate turning the kind man in.

"Sir,"

The Reaper's voice compelled him to look back up and into dull violet eyes.

"Villains come in many different forms – you should never waver no matter how much they demand, threaten, seduce, or bribe you to let them go," he warned.

"…I see…"

"Don't worry, you'll make a fine officer one day, I just know it." Tino truly believed this when the other looked disheartened.

The young man smiled slightly. "Thank you, Reaper, sir-"

"What do ya think yer doin' with that-!" A higher ranking officer with his uniform untucked came barreling down their way towards the entrance of the old building. Words failed to form the moment his bulging eyes laid upon the blue and white flintlock pistols at the captive's waist and skull mask in his subordinate's hand. "Why aren't there more chains around him?!" He scowled at the young man.

Tino watched as the newcomer made a whole ruckus and called for reinforcements.

"He's gonna strangle you with those shackles if they're too loose!"

The bound man made no effort to move away and remained where he was next to the bewildered young officer. "It was nice knowing you, sir." He smiled sadly. "Thank you for bringing me here…I wish you and your new family good fortune."

"Reaper…" It left a bitter taste in the officer's mouth as he watched the platinum blond get handed over, the bondage around his wrists clinking from the motion.

"Hurry with the chains!"

"Get back, ya greenhorn!" Someone yelled at the rookie policeman still grappling with his morals and course of action.

"Please don't be upset, officer. You did the right thing," Tino comforted softly.

A massive number of policemen arrived on the scene…too many to apprehend just one man. They surrounded the Reaper and raised their firearms at him.

But Tino didn't mind and only looked at the young officer as he said "Congratulations on having caught the Reaper himself."

"Get him!"

 **Smack!**

A direct hit behind his skull and the Reaper saw the light no more.

 _And so if this has to be done..._

* * *

 _Where did you go?_

Begrudgingly, Berwald chose to stay on the ship and await the other in their room. He thought it was wiser for him to remain in one spot rather than head out into the large town and have them miss each other at one point. But regardless of how sensible this plan sounded, it did nothing to quell the anxiety and ache tearing at his heart and mind.

Tino has been gone since the early morning and never once did Berwald even capture a glimpse of his shadow neither on the ship nor around it.

He hardly got any work done that he was ordered to do from the captain, who appeared more distant than usual. After just a couple of hours loading some cargo into the storage room and lower deck as well as helping with the Draugen's repairs, the bespectacled blond headed back into the room with the black walls to the left of the grand hall. And there he stayed for the remaining daylight hours.

Alone, he fell asleep on the black bed and woke up to empty sheets beside him.

A full day had come and gone without seeing his beloved Tino.

Berwald felt utterly sick and miserable when the second day came and brought with it no signs of the Finn. The morning slowly turned to noon and on the cold black bed he continued to wait. He felt like crying all over again from the slew of emotions bubbling up inside him like a toxic concoction poisoning his mind and heart. Anything and everything negative raged within – despair, guilt, worry, paranoia and then back to despair.

The little comfort he received came in the form of his lover's scent on the bed. He held on tightly to the pillow they shared and brought it up to his chest so that he could easily bury his nose in its soft feathers.

There might have been a commotion stirring on the upper deck, garnering every other pirate's attention, but it was all white noise to him.

The Swede closed his eyes after having stared out the window numbly for so long that his eyes became strained.

 _Please come back, Tino…I-_

"I'd figured you'd be here!"

It was Mathias.

Berwald had no will to even scowl at the captain as he approached him. He just wanted to be left alone; the only person he wanted to see coming through that door was a certain Finn with his violet eyes and kind smile.

"Look at me when I'm talkin' to ya!" Mathias roared, grabbing the man's face by the chin and forcing the taller blond to look into his fiery blue eye.

"Don't touch me." he managed to growl out, ready to put up a fight if push came to shove. He would not allow himself to be forced by the other man again like last time. It would kill him if Tino came back at that moment and saw him sullied. His heart wouldn't be able to take it.

The threat didn't faze the North Sea King one bit and he held onto that square jaw even tighter in his black gloved hand. "You got some nerve, don't ya? Is it 'cause you know ReeRee will come in and save you? You probably don't even know what happened to him, do you?"

"...What...?"

The Dane's expression darkened, for once not satisfied with the surprised and pleading look his subordinate was giving him. There was no time for that. "Peter told me Reaper's been captured…practically turned himself over without putting up a fight!" He pulled Berwald's face closer to his so that they were only inches apart. In a voice so low that only the two in the room could hear he whispered "And why do you suppose he did that? You had a part in this, didn't you?"

"…"

"DIDN'T YOU?! Answer me, you harlot!"

Berwald hardly felt the fist hitting his jaw after those biting words that sent him flying back onto the mattress. The news was much more shocking and painful than the punch and rendered his body numb to all other stimuli.

 _Tino's been caught? He's going to be executed?_

His body turned to ice despite the captain's body being right next to his.

 _Tino's never coming back…_

He was never going to see his beloved again.

"They're gonna put 'im on trial and it's all yer fault!"

 _He's going to die…_

"…"

"What did you say to him? I hope you realize it ain't like all the other times he's been captured!"

 _Tino!_

After a third punch to his face, Berwald finally snapped and threw the other off him. "I know that!"

The dark bed sheets and pillow fell to the floor while the two blonds struggled.

"Do ya think I wanted this?!"

"Well it sure turned out that way, didn't it?!"

It became an all-out fist fight - there was no time for the bespectacled man to grab his steel staff in the corner of the room. They exchanged violent punches and kicks, taking blow after bloody blow to their bodies. But neither of them faltered.

"It's yer fault this is happening!" Berwald clasped both hands over his head before bringing them down to pummel the captain's face into the floorboards. Blind fury possessed him, making him see red as he continued his barrage. He couldn't feel the blood running down the side of his head and staining the blue bandana or see the torn collar of his black undershirt.

If only Mathias had left them alone, if only Tino wasn't bound to a life of piracy, if only he was never taken on board the ship in the first place, the Swede wouldn't have to suffer like this.

There was only one thing left to do now.

"Guh!" Berwald felt bile rise up in his throat after a direct punch into his stomach sent him staggering back, the ends of his beige coat and sash swaying spastically from the force. He then jerked his head up to snarl at Mathias who looked just as furious as he was.

There was no humor or arrogance in the eye not covered by the eye patch.

"Yer gonna pay fer this, Ber. Yer gonna pay for this and much more…" he threatened. "You'll always serve me!"

The taller blond retaliated with a vengeance.

"I won't lose another one of my men so soon!" Mathias made a swift left hook towards the other man's face.

Berwald saw the attack and ducked low to the ground, making a clean dodge. What he didn't account for was Mathias anticipating his move and was already following up with a raised right knee into his chest. His vision blurred for a bit as the wind got knocked out of him and he flew back from the force into the hallway. A brown boot flipped him onto his back and crushed his windpipe.

"See, Ber? This is why you'll always belong to me. This is why I'll have you while Reaper has nothing and rots in hell! I wonder if that bastard can rest easy now that his most prized possession got stolen?" He smirked then, gazing at the man pinned beneath his boot condescendingly. "That fool! I'll make him regret ever crossing me in this life and the next! He'll pay dearly…I hope they wring him out nice and slow on the gallows while I-"

"That's…that's…ENOUGH!" Berwald roared, his voice resonating down the empty hallway.

 _No one talks about Tino that way!_

With renewed strength and rage, he hefted the other's leg off him with both hands and slammed him onto the oak floor.

"Why…you…!" His subordinate was much stronger, faster, and more skilled since the last time they fought like this. Mathias no longer held such a large advantage over the Swede. Twisting to his side, Mathias got up just in time to meet blazing cyan eyes.

 **Thwack!**

Berwald elbowed the man right back down into the floorboards and kicked him in the side for good measure, the captain tumbling across the surface. A string of curses, painful howls, and cracking sounds indicated the breaking of ribs.

"You…bastard…!" The North Sea King coughed out. But before he could rise again, the taller blond was already too far away to hear him cuss. The Lion of the North's back, strong and unwavering, was the last thing he saw before his world turned black from the pain.

How could Tino do this to him?

Berwald's mind remained in disarray after his fight with the Dane, feet dragging across the long hallway as far away from the captain as possible.

 _Why did he let himself get captured…?_

The blond had an idea why, yet he refused to acknowledge his beloved's way of thinking and indulge in it.

The fact that he had just beaten the captain of the Draugen and unspokenly claimed his freedom was pushed aside in favor of the heavy guilt and despair filling his heart. This was not how he wanted to gain his freedom...not like this. Not at the cost of Tino's life. Didn't Tino want to stay alive in order to be with him?

 _He promised he would live…he promised!_

All he could do was run…

Berwald ran off the ship, never turning back and continued running. He ran towards his freedom and away from Mathias and the Draugen, the life of piracy and bloodshed all left behind. But most importantly, he ran in hopes that the thought of watching Tino hang from a noose would never catch up to him.


	34. Man of the World

**Song Title: Man of the World** from the **Naruto Shippuden OST**

* * *

The holding cell was just as aged and decrepit as the exterior of the building. Broken mortar lay strewn throughout the hallway, the prisoner kept in one of the few remaining rooms still functional on the ground floor. It barely held the Reaper within its gray, thin, and crumbling walls. The air was stale and reeked of mildew, the stone floor uneven, cracked and cold.

This suited Tino just fine – he has been held in far more unpleasant places.

A small window perched right around his eye level was his only portal to the outside world. Unless someone came real close, there wasn't much to see beyond the barred frame. He has been held here for a day now, and the dawn of another day soon seeped through the narrow frame, highlighting specks of dust ghosting about the cell. That and the mold were the only things accompanying the Finn inside this unfurnished cell. The guards were standing outside the building just close enough to seem authoritative, but far enough to preserve their own lives.

His weapons and mask confiscated, all that he had left were the clothes on his back he wore that fateful night – beige shirt and scarf, trousers, hat, and his signature black long coat with its frayed ends soaked in blood.

This was the best situation he could hope for.

"ReeRee? Are you in there?" A gentle voice floated through the bars followed by the shuffling of feet. Feliciano's face soon came into view through the window, his brown eyes a combination of worry and sorrow.

Tino rose from the corner he was sitting in and walked up to the brunette.

"It's us. The captain sent us to help you escape,"

"Thank you for your efforts…really. But that won't be necessary, Feli," He smiled sadly at the Italian whose face fell at his words. "I don't want to run away anymore."

"B-But…Ber's been worried sick about you," Feliciano said softly, pleading for the imprisoned man to come with them. "He even ran off to look for you,"

"Did he?"

It was then a gruffer, stricter voice intervened and added "Yes, Reaper. The captain mustn't have approved of this…I've been hearing of a fight between the two," Feliciano made way so that Ludwig appeared through the other half of the window. He tried to persuade the Finn by suggesting "You should come back and keep them in check."

"I see…" That was all Tino needed to hear. With this, he could truly resign to his death. "That means he's escaped…thank goodness."

 _He'll be fine…he's strong after all. I knew he had it in him_

"I beg your pardon?"

"Ve, what are you talking about, ReeRee?"

Tino looked to his two friends and gave them both a weary smile before saying "I'm fairly certain he already knows, but please tell the captain I won't be coming back. I'm…tired. I would like to rest,"

"Then why don't you come back to the Draugen and rest there?" Feliciano tried to persist. As dense as he may seem, the chef knew there was a special bond between his two friends. It was quite similar to the one he shared with Ludwig. And for the rifleman to stay here and accept his fate...it was far too tragic...It couldn't end this way! "I'm sure Ber's waiting for you there,"

"He's not; he's not coming back. Not to the Draugen…or me."

"Reaper…"

There was nothing more they could do if the man himself didn't want any part in the rescue. One could lead a horse to water, but couldn't make it drink.

"If this is what you really want, then I have no right to deny you your wish…" Ludwig strained out, refraining from frowning at the idea that the Reaper wanted to be executed. As a doctor, seeing a life, even if it was a criminal's, being taken went against what he stood for ever since illness took his older brother's one.

"Thank you, Feli, Ludwig…I'm so lucky to have met such kind, talented, and amazing people such as you two. Take care,"

Feliciano looked like he was on the brink of tears, brown eyes wide. "Please, ReeRee…even Lovi is worried about you-"

"Hey! What are you two doin' over there? No one sees the prisoner until after the trial!"

"It's the police…we've run out of time," Ludwig scowled, pulling Feliciano away from the barred window. "Farewell, Reaper. Thank you for everything you've done for us all these years. May the afterlife treat you kindly."

"Surely, it will be kinder than this life. Take care of yourself and Feli,"

"ReeRee!" Feliciano squirmed in the doctor's arms as he tried to catch the last glimpse of his long-time companion. But he ceased when he saw kind violet eyes staring at him.

"It'll be all right, Feli. You, Ludwig, and Lovino are in good hands. Always remain that cheerful person that you are,"

The two disappeared from Tino's line of view and were replaced with a portly officer red in the face from having dashed all the way here to chase off the trespassers.

"Those bastards! Who were they?" The guard's attention turned to the man in the prison cell. "Ah what does it matter, yer trial's starting soon anyway," He barked an order to someone Tino couldn't see on the other side of the wall. "Get 'im out of there, the judge is ready!"

* * *

Wrapped in chains from his neck to his ankles, Tino was led by a leash to a small chapel that served as the courthouse for his trial. All around him along the dusty road the people spat and raved at him, but he was numb to it all. His eyes remained downcast and his posture straight.

There really was no need for a trial. The Reaper was a pirate and so by default was going to be executed for it. In fact, he was so notorious that it didn't even matter if he was found dead or alive in the books. However, this large town had a taste for the extravagant and so gave the rifleman a trial anyway. They were doing this just for the fun of it; now that they had the legendary pirate in chains, they were going to milk it for all it's worth.

Tino was being made a spectacle before the execution, a rabid animal on display before it was put to death.

The stain-glass windows threw colorful shadows onto the floor and massive crowd within the hot chapel. Upon entering, Tino saw that the galleries were all packed, some of the attendants spilling out into the aisles and lining the walls of the structure until eventually the remaining stragglers had no choice but to watch from outside the double doors.

The chapel was slightly modified for the occasion – a small, lone podium stood at the center of the floor for the Finn to stand behind in order to face the large and intimidating booth where the judge sat in.

When the rowdy spectators finally calmed themselves enough to listen to the judge and were shushed, the trial officially began.

"The Reaper…terror of the seven seas, the herald of death…the stories never end when it comes to you, do they?" the judge started mockingly. "But they will. Here in this town, we shall be the ones who deliver retribution unto you!"

The people in the galleries hollered and cried out exuberantly.

Tino kept his violet eyes on the judge before him, never once looking among the crowd for any familiar faces.

The trial was more like an interrogation if anything.

"How many lives have you taken in your lifetime?"

"Sir, I don't remember. That's why I tally them on the walls in my room."

"How many noblemen and officers have you killed?"

"Death makes all equal; I don't remember."

"How many women have you taken against their will?"

"None, sir. They all came to me of their own accord – some paid me to sleep with them."

"Where is the rest of the Draugen's crew?"

"Gone. They left me here for dead."

With each question followed by a morbid answer, the audience grew more and more restless. The Reaper became more and more disgusting to them and they wanted him dead. The judge played the crowd and indulged in their fury, reveling in their reactions. It was a beautiful madhouse and he was the one running it.

It was only until mid-day that the lengthy trial finally reached its climax and the judge made his decision - the only one to begin with.

"Reaper, for your countless crimes of piracy and murder, you are hereby sentenced to death by a firing squad!"

 _How fitting…_

The people seemed to agree.

"You will be executed as soon as the sun rises tomorrow. Now take him away!"

Tino closed his eyes and smiled while the galleries came to life around him with people standing up and thrashing about wildly against each other, their bloodthirsty faces painted red, blue, and yellow by the filtered light above them. The colorful windows high up on the walls reverberated and shook, threatening to shatter to pieces by the sheer volume erupting inside the place.

There was nothing holy left in this chapel.

* * *

In the evening before the public execution, any and all visitors were allowed to see the Reaper in all his shame. Just for the occasion, the usually dark space of the pirate's cell was bordered with lanterns because feeling cocky, the guards even let the public inside the building to see the man better through the barred gate. Familiar faces of crew members from the ship came down to see him, offering him their condolences and wishing him the best of luck. But for the most part from all sides, through the little window and gate in front of him the people of the town took turns jeering and swearing at the detained pirate. Some even went so far as to try to kill the man themselves. But with each passing hour, less and less of them came filtering through the hall, going home and getting well-rested before the grand finale of this event.

When the walls no longer flickered and danced with the shadows of men from the lamplight, when it was finally quiet and Tino could hear his own thoughts again, he leaned against the cracked wall and prepared to sleep. He didn't mind the insults or the death threats…he deserved them. It was a nice parting gift to take with him to the afterlife.

"They were most cruel to you, Reaper."

"Yeah, that was overboard."

Lukas and Emil, dressed in common clothes to blend in with the public, stood in front of the rusty iron gate.

The prisoner stood up and slowly made his way to his comrades. "It's okay, they have every right to be angry with me," he said with a sad smile.

Lukas shook his head slightly, pale blond hair not held back by the cross hairpin swishing over his right eye. Try as the man might, sympathy, sorrow, and regret shone in his dull navy eyes for his captured friend. He saw the content and relieved look on Tino's face when he heard his sentence. "Nothing seems to faze you…not even death."

"Reaper, this isn't like you," Emil noted. Like his older brother, he usually tried not to show any interest over the personal lives of his comrades. It was their business, not his. But the Finn was an exception and he was genuinely concerned for him. "What happened? What brought on all this?"

The man behind bars refused to answer the inquiry and kept it to himself. "I'm sorry…I have failed you two,"

"Tino," Lukas pressed. The navigator berated himself for not seeing it sooner, but it was only after a brief conversation with his older brother the other night and the small comments made by him did the pieces fall into place. No…that wasn't entirely true…he was only lying to himself. Lukas always had an idea of their latest recruit's affinity towards the rifleman and the eventual mutual feeling. He knew what would happen if Mathias found out. The subtle signs were there if he paid it enough attention. However, he didn't - he chose to sweep it all under the carpet. So when everything turned sour, he never acted on it, choosing to stay on the sidelines in hopes that the captain and rifleman would resolve it themselves without his intervention. He was wrong, so wrong and now he had to pay the price. "I swear I'll make Mathias change his mind about Berwald. I promise he'll be left alone…there's still time."

"It doesn't have to end this way,"

"But I want it to," Tino answered patiently. "There's no need for that now – Berwald is free and that's all that matters."

The two brothers looked defeatedly at each other. What the crew members sent out to help the rifleman escape said was true – the Reaper did not want to be saved this time. Even if they forcibly brought him back to the ship, it would all be for naught. Tino was going to find a way to kill himself regardless. There was nothing more they could do but say their partings now.

"Here…" With a heavy and reluctant sigh, Emil pulled out the contents from the bag he had slung over his shoulder and handed them over to the man on the other side of the bars.

"Hm?" Tino quickly recognized the objects handed over to him.

"We were hoping we could change your mind…but in the case that we couldn't, we thought you would like to take these with you in the afterlife." Solemnly, Lukas had prepared for the worst-case scenario ahead of time. It was the least they could do for the Finn in his time of dying.

The deadman looked down at the small trinkets he had held onto all these years – the photograph of his family, bullet shells from his first rifle, Ivan's rib, his mother's swan brooch…the wooden bear carving Berwald first made for him…it was all there. A morbid collage of his morbid life.

Slowly the prisoner pocketed the items away into his heavy black long coat. "Thank you so much, Lukas…Emil,"

Abruptly the younger brother turned away and headed out of the building without another word, not showing his friend the disapproving and woeful look in his magenta eyes.

"He was never fond of showing his emotions," Lukas commented wryly, the navigator himself struggling to uphold his noble composure. "Although we'll be there for your execution, I'm sure this will be the last time we get to have a talk like this,"

"Indeed."

Slowly, Lukas offered his hand now stripped of its glove and ring through the bars of the cell for Tino to shake in a formal gesture. The Finn's hand was cold against his.

"Please look after Peter and Erland," the deadman implored. He figured the two brothers didn't bring the young boys along for fear that it would be too much for them to handle.

"We will. We promise…if I could help it, I would give them both a better future."

Tino felt the hand around his tighten and he smiled with relief. He could count on Lukas to keep his word. "I wish things could have played out differently."

"I wish our entire lives could have played out differently…" Lukas grimaced when the other's cold hand fell away from his. "Goodbye, Tino."

"Thank you, Lukas. Watch over your brothers for me…I know they'll need you."

The first mate gave out a snort, a harsh breath out through his nose as he turned away from the man smiling at his death. It was the only sound he could make to prevent the grief welling up inside him from pouring out. "Not as much as we'll miss you…"

After seeing the other disappear down the dark hallway and out of sight, the detained man went back to his preferred spot in the cell to huddle and prepare for sleep. But when sleep didn't come, he began filtering through his meager possessions, throwing out the bone shard and bullet shells where they laid abandoned on the cold floor. He only kept his most treasured pieces.

What he didn't expect was another visitor to see him so late at night.

"So ya really are gonna go through with it, huh? Ya finally have the guts to turn yourself in for death," Mathias, who was bruised and beaten spat out angrily through the gate.

"Captain…"

The North Sea King looked down at his subordinate distastefully, his blue eye glowing in the faint light from the lanterns poorly concealed his deep-seated guilt and sorrow. "Ya weren't captured…you let yourself get caught…"

"Guilty as charged," Tino said playfully, but there was no mirth in his eyes or the sad smile he donned.

This only riled the Dane further and he pressed himself up against the gate, hands wrapped around the iron bars tightly. "I know you can escape if ya really wanted to…but you ain't gonna this time, are ya?"

The rifleman shook his head solemnly. He got up once more and came face-to-face with his captain.

"You'd really die for him?"

"Yes."

It disturbed Mathias how easily and quickly the other responded to that question.

"I would kill myself a hundred times over for his freedom."

The taller blond clenched his jaw and asked through gritted teeth "Why?!"

Why was his rifleman so dead-set on this new recruit's welfare? His rifleman has always been an agreeable person; perhaps that was why they got along as well as they did. Tino would usually relent to his wishes…so what force could possibly be responsible for making the Finn act this way? It didn't make any sense and the fact that it remained a mystery to the Dane infuriated him. The other had so much to live for…so many more conquests and legends to be made with him.

Kindly Tino responded "Isn't it obvious, Mathias? It's because I love him,"

"Don't fuck with me, Tino!" The blond captain pounded against the bars, rattling the gate against its rusty frame. His breath shuddered from frustration and disbelief as he said "Us deadmen can't love! We lost that ability long ago!"

"I thought so too…so it's strange that I find myself in this situation, isn't it?"

"You…" His hands slid weakly down the iron bars. "Ber doesn't love you as much…he ran off without ya,"

That was exactly what Tino wanted. "Do you know where he went?"

Mathias growled. "No…"

"I'm sorry, Mathias…I really am,"

This seemed to snap the Dane back to his senses, his scowl returning. "Well if yer sorry then why don't you just break out of there already?!" His question was answered with a light chuckle from the other.

"You know I can't do that, captain. I won't."

The blond sighed exasperatingly. "I swear, Tino, why d'ya gotta be so-"

"If I may ask one more favor from you, Mathias," Tino spoke up softly, looking straight into the other's eye. "Can I ask that you free Berwald and never give chase to him?"

"What?"

"As a final request from a deadman, please let him go."

The man outside of the prison cell was biting on his lip so hard that blood began to seep from the wound. "I probably can't hold him down even if I tried..." he admitted bitterly. The bruised face and broken ribs were stark reminders of that. He was certain Tino knew it too but all the same snarled out brokenly, miserably "Yeah…I'll uphold your dying wish, Tino."

"Thank you, Mathias." He always knew his captain still had a sense of dignity and honor left from his royal bloodline beneath all the corruption from years of suffering and the life as a pirate.

The Dane made a motion for his captured comrade to come closer.

"…?" Tino did as he was asked and went up to the cell bars. "…! Captain…" An arm slipped through the iron bars and slung around his shoulders to press him up to a warm body separated by metal at certain intervals.

"You bastard…how could you betray me like this? Ya know I hate mutinies…" he uttered into the platinum blond's shoulder.

"This isn't a mutiny, captain…I'm only one man,"

"Yer the Reaper - you take lives, not the other way around!"

"I am still mortal."

"Shut up! After all we've been through…Why did it have to end up this way?!" Mathias was fighting back tears by the time Tino's hand came up to pat his hunched back. "Why?!"

They had their differences and conflicts, but they were still brother-in-arms and fellow deadmen. Tino started out as an unwilling subordinate under him, but Mathias grew to respect the Finn and considered him a part of his dwindling family. He thought the other would be a permanent part of his unstable life…the grim anchor keeping him moored in the sea of chaos. It pained him dearly knowing that he was going to lose him in this manner when all of it could have been easily avoided and fixed.

But it didn't turn out that way…life never turned out that way.

"We could've settled this another way and talked it over…" the North Sea King muttered weakly.

"But we didn't."

"I'm sorry, Tino."

"As am I, Mathias…as am I."

"I'm sorry, okay?"

"I know, Mathias-"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry...Even back when I took you in, I swear I only wanted to help!" In his own twisted way he was only looking out for Tino's well-being. He knew the other deadman needed help, guidance, and blood. "...I...I just wanted a friend...a comrade...I wanted all of us to be like family." But his own obsession drove the wedge between them and severed their kinship. If only he wasn't so possessive…if only he had controlled his anger…if only…

If only...

A pained cry escaped the Dane and Tino felt the pitiful sob rumble into his shoulder from the other male. All he could do to comfort the crestfallen captain was continue to keep his arm around him and stroke his back while he rested his head against the cold bars. After a moment of shared silence and regret, he felt the other's grip tighten around him before it fell lifelessly away through the bars. His friend's cheeks were wet with tears.

As the captain of the Draugen pulled away to leave his friend to his fate and dragged himself miserably down the empty hall, he whispered "I don't care what the rest of the world thinks; you're a good man, Tino. I only hope the gods can see that as well and have mercy on your soul."

"Thank you and farewell, captain. Take care."

Of all the people who came to visit him, the one Tino wanted to see the most never did.

Humorlessly he smiled up at the small window and looked at the moonless night sky. It was as black as his soul and equally empty.

The deadman didn't deserve the luxury of seeing Berwald before his death. All he had left to remember his beloved by were the trinkets in his pockets. Subconsciously his hand reached down to his lower right pocket and pulled out his most favorite gift from the Swede – the wooden carving of Hanatamago. It fit perfectly in his hand and slender fingers went up to caress the smooth edges and details.

"Huh?"

The wooden Maltese was getting wet with something and his vision became blurry.

That night, Tino finally cried for the first time in years.

They were tears of joy – to be free from all of this and let go.

They were tears of sorrow – to leave Berwald and everyone behind.

They were tears of regret – of never having said that he was sorry for being such a coward, for not saying that he loved the other as much as he should, and for not being able to repent for everything that he has done.

Finally, they were tears of fear – because for all the times he wanted to die and kill himself, Tino was scared now that it was actually happening.

All of these feelings haunted him in his final hours. But during the darkest part of the night, just as the tears took him to his slumber before he would rest forever, his last thoughts were of Berwald.

Tino wondered where the other ran off to, but more importantly if he was safe and happy now that he was a free man. He hoped the Swede had already forgotten about him – a nightmare lifted in the waking dawn.

Curled up in the corner of the cold cell, Tino cried for his beloved.

 _I'm sorry Berwald, but I'm afraid it's time to say goodbye now…forever_


	35. Now We Are Free

**Song Title: Now We Are Free** from the **Gladiator OST**

* * *

Due to unforeseen circumstances, it took longer than expected to set up the Reaper's execution. But without too much of a delay, a couple of hours after the sun has peeked its head out from the hills beyond the edge of the town and the procession began.

"Rise and shine, Reaper!" A guard banged loudly against the rusty gate holding the pirate captive. The tiny window casted a soft light from the early-morning sun onto the small figure inside the cell. He sneered derisively as he saw the prisoner do as he was told and cuffed the rifleman in several places before opening up the iron bars. "We're goin' for a little walk,"

 _It is time…_

A soft sigh escaped Tino before he let himself get led by the chain around his neck to his final resting place. The metal rattled and clinked heavily with each step he took, the bondage around his ankles forcing him to walk in set strides. His body felt weak and it was taking all of his strength to keep himself upright and moving along the guard's eager pace down the dark hallway. The police did not give him a bite to eat since his detainment here a couple of days ago.

"C'mon, quit stalling!" The guard became impatient and yanked on the metal link connecting him to the prisoner. The Reaper's docile demeanor made him forget that he was dealing with a deadly pirate; but right now as it stood, the rifleman wasn't a threat to anyone.

Upon exiting the crumbling excuse for a jailhouse, Tino was greeted with a town buzzing with excitement. Unlike the cell, it was nice and warm outside. Also unlike the prison, it was so very bright that he had to squint his eyes a little from the harsh light. But eventually he adjusted and took in the sight before him. The sky above was as clear and blue as the most pristine seas. Arching over him as he walked along the dirt street to his unknown destination, the town's tall buildings clumped close to each other to form a sort of grand hall. The air, clean and crisp, blew gently across his face from time to time, caressing his cheeks and tousling his hair carefreely with its gust. Beneath his tan boots the soil was soft and welcomed his imprint as he stepped in it, sinking and contorting easily around his heavy footsteps. The street dogs barked in the alleyways and the birds cooed above with their songs. Everything and everyone around him was so lively.

It was a beautiful day.

It was a beautiful day to die.

All along the dirt road the people howled and raved, gathering and tailing behind the Reaper as he continued his death march. Soon enough a loud mass of people grew and filed along the wide road opening up to the edge of town. The guards on either side of the prisoner could hardly keep the public at bay, stopping them from getting any closer to the deadman before he reached his destination.

On the way there, Tino turned his head left and right to scan the crowd around him. He saw the three brothers not too far behind him, tracing his steps. Despite their disguises, they stuck out from the crowd with their grim expressions compared to everyone else's excited ones. A similar thing could be said about Feliciano, Ludwig, and even Lovino who were at his right.

The disgruntled older brother of the two chefs appeared troubled, his face changing from something akin to guilt, to anger, to despair, and then back to anger again. The bitter Italian was never fond of him, so it meant a lot to Tino to see him there in his last moments on earth.

His death was nothing like what he had expected. Tino always believed that he would die on a ship, his body tossed overboard like so many others before him. His bloated corpse would then sink to the bottom of the ocean to join a ship graveyard or get torn apart by ravenous sharks below. He imagined he was going to die alone somewhere on a sinking vessel and by another pirate's hands. It was supposed to be savage, gory, and desolate.

He never thought so many would see him off, or that he would be passing into the spirit world with such grandeur.

"Here we are!" the guard announced more to the crowd behind the Reaper than the man himself.

 _How beautiful_

Tino smiled at the scene – his resting place.

On the very edge of this side of the large town were fields of wheat stretching for as far as the eye could see. It ran into the horizon to meet the blue skies beyond. Golden stalks of the plant swayed to and fro from the soft breeze blowing, creating waves that traveled elegantly across the plains. It was something the Finn had never seen back in his childhood.

"Get over here!" A harsh pull on the chain around his neck and the enchanting scene was broken and brought his attention to the people standing in front of the wheat.

Tino was forced to meet his executioners. Just before the golden fields of grain, a distance in front of it were the riflemen assembled to deliver the blow that would send him to the other side. Their uniforms were pressed and cleaned just for the occasion. At the center of the large clearing was the judge from the other day.

"Let it be known that today, the people of this town shall no longer fear death! Let it be known that he will no longer walk among us! Like the day vanquishes the night, we have conquered him! Today, the Reaper dies!"

"YEAH!" A wave of cheers followed the judge's words, their cries rumbling the humble earth and reaching towards the heavens.

After his little speech, the judge instructed a guard to put their prisoner into position. Even in his bound state the judge and everyone else dared not to be within an arm's length of him, thus placing Tino at a distance closer to the wheat stalks, nearly standing among them for good measure.

With hands tied in front of him, the Finn ran them through the golden grains that reached his waist. The wheat felt coarser than he had imagined, but that was just fine with him. Upon entering the field, Tino felt light, as if the grains welcomed him into its warm, fluttering embrace and with each passing stalk, took from him a bit of his sins and burdens.

When he was at a safe distance and within rifle range, the guard pulled out a blindfold from his uniform's chest pocket. "Here, turn around." His captive shook his head.

"Would it be too much to ask if you don't blindfold me?" the Reaper asked casually. Death was a close friend of his and he wanted to greet him with eyes wide open.

The guard, perturbed and wanting to get away from the pirate as soon as possible, hastily agreed and was soon back among his fellow officers near the edge of the town.

"Riflemen, line up!"

Calmly, Tino faced the crowd who waited for his death and the men in front ready to deliver it.

He was content. This was what he wanted.

The only thing that twinged his heart with guilt was the fact that he still missed and loved Berwald.

 _I want to see him one last time_

But try as he might to search the crowd and through all its bloodthirsty faces, the Swede's was not one of them. Although from where he was, it was a lost cause. The man was probably many miles away from here by now and didn't care.

It was for the best.

 _I'm sorry you fell for a killer like me, and that I still love you dearly…It simply must disgust you_ _…_

Tino had hoped he could die in the man's arms, but knew that was too much to ask for.

 _I'm sorry we left on such bad terms…I wish I could take it all back…I wish I can just hold you in my arms and tell you that everything is going to be all right…but it's not…_

He should have given Berwald all of his gold and belongings to sell off in order to buy his freedom back then instead of making the taller blond fight for it.

 _I wish we could have spent more time together_ _…_ _I love you_

"Ready, aim!"

 _I love you_

Even though he couldn't exactly see their faces from this distance, Tino noticed that among the line of riflemen, one of them had a very good stance as he pointed the firearm at him. The young man stood tall and focused.

They were still waiting for the judge to give the word. The judge himself knew this and kept them all in suspense for his own amusement.

A hush fell upon the entire town, its people holding their very breaths for the inevitable moment.

Nothing and no one stirred among the sea of people, time suspended itself, and the tension thickened in the air.

The earth stood still, patiently waiting for one of her children to return to her.

A gentle breeze brushed past them from the south, blowing through the fields and fluttering the tattered ends of the Reaper's black coat.

Eyeing the uniformed rifleman, Tino mouthed the words "thank you" before smiling happily for the last time.

 **Bang!**

"Hey, I didn't give the order to fire!"

Someone was a bit too trigger-happy.

Doves and pigeons took off from their perch on window sills and rooftops in great haste at the violent sound, leaving behind soft feathers of white and gray to fall upon the earth. Some of them fell before the Finn as they flew over him.

The sound of church bells rung in the distance to signal one thing or another.

Chaos ensued all around him with screams of panic and jubilation.

"Guh!" The bullet in his chest knocked Tino off his feet and he fell backwards among the wheat, looking heavenward.

The sky was still so nice and blue hanging over him.

 _I'm getting so sleepy…_

His body spasmed from the pain before it ultimately relaxed. Warm blood ran below him, staining his black coat with the substance, but he felt so cold.

"You imbecile! Who told you to-Hey!"

 _It's getting quiet_

The voices sounded as though they were coming from far away, his hearing failing him. The edges of the sky turned black, dark and lonely. He felt so tired, his breathing slowed and vision faded. But throughout it all he continued to look up and smile weakly to the skies above.

 _Surely, this is what death feels like_

It was a nice feeling.

Tino has fought for years, trying but failing to do the right thing. He found love and lost it. But now, all of that didn't matter.

He could go back to his family, back to that nice little cabin in the driving snow with the small fireplace. Or perhaps, when he met them again, he could take them to this spot with all its warmth and bright sunlight shining down on them.

He had time to decide.

He could rest now.

He can go now.

Now, he was free.


	36. Next to You, Next to Me

**Song Titles: Next to You** from the **Parasyte OST** and **Next to Me** by **Otto Knows**

* * *

The story went that on the day of the Reaper's execution, one of the riflemen in the firing squad pulled the trigger beforehand and ultimately killed the prisoner single-handedly. Apparently, the prospective young man held a vendetta against the infamous pirate, and when he saw his chance, took the other's life before all to see. Once he got his revenge, the culprit ran off before the rest of the officials pursued him into town. His identity and whether or not the man was apprehended remained a mystery to the general public, something the police kept to themselves in order to save face.

But what baffled the large town even more was the Reaper himself.

The pirate's body was never found - it simply vanished among the wheat and melted into the shadows.

Even though investigators later rushed over to the spot, all they saw was the blood that pooled there and nothing more.

But eyewitnesses say that the man was shot in the heart and definitely died that day.

Through and through, in this life and the next, the Reaper continued to remain an enigma and a haunting legend told across the seas for generations to come.

* * *

Berwald didn't give up.

He kept on fighting and kept on living.

He finally had what he so longed for and seized his freedom with his own hands.

He has escaped the North Sea King and the Draugen's clutches.

He was a free man.

"Good work today, Ber! See you tomorrow!"

"Mmn, thank you. G'night." Berwald packed up his tools and bid his employer a good evening before heading out of the shop.

Fortune finally seemed to smile upon him after having turned her back on him for most of his life.

After moving into a quiet and peaceful town, the Swede found an honest job in woodworking. His employer owned a quaint little shop specializing in making furniture, and when he saw the potential and unspoken diligence in Berwald, took the large man under his wing and made him his apprentice. The old man's hunch was proven right and soon enough, when he was ready to retire, he would pass down the store to the apprentice.

The evening air was cool and crisp with a hint of salt when the blond walked along the coast by himself on his way home. He was taking the long way back like he always did.

The sea glimmering with stars reminded him of the days when he was actually out there in the water as a pirate. They were fond memories to some extent – he saw things he never would've imagined, met colorful characters, and visited new lands. His horizon expanded to more than just the sleepy town he grew up in. But perhaps the reason why all of these things sounded so rosy now was because of a certain Finn who would be right there next to him through it all…who would walk alongside him on the shores such as this one, leaving footprints in the sand next to his.

It felt like so long ago since the two did something like that…

He wanted to take Tino out here someday to gaze at the sunset together before heading home for the night.

 _Someday…_

But not today. Berwald didn't know when that day would ever come.

The free man found a place to settle in at the far side of town, away from the buzz of the central area. It was a small, humble cabin built for two that he was able to purchase with the gold that was given to him by his beloved. The little dirt path led him to the empty home and he opened its wooden door with a creak. Silence greeted him as he went along the dark hallways and fumbled to light some lanterns to illuminate the shadowy place.

In the living room where he set his stuff down, he passed by a wall mount that hung Tino's weapons – Huurre and Kuutamo, their barrels polished and crossed over each other for display; because that was all they were used for now. The white skull mask the other wore was also kept. It rested in a drawer with all the other knick-knacks from his life at sea.

Eventually he made it to the bedroom and lit the lantern sitting on the small nightstand. Berwald had a small collection of items as well. The folded beige coat and navy blue bandana were kept nicely in a wooden trunk near the single bed along with his beloved's hat, scarf, and tattered black long coat with the stitches on the back. A few gold coins could still be found at the bottom of the chest if he looked hard enough. His steel staff rested in a corner next to the headboard of the bed.

The cabin was chilly - a sign of uninhabitance, so Berwald started a fire in the small fireplace and mindlessly prepared dinner.

The wind howled through the windows and hallways while he worked in the kitchen, the hollow sound carrying with it the reminder that no one else was in the home except for him. The thought never failed to make his heart heavy and his hands slowed.

The winter's cold was approaching with the night.

Something came by the front door.

 **Knock. Knock.**

"Hello, Ber? Are you in there?" The sound of someone entering and placing something down on the wooden floor could be heard.

And suddenly Berwald truly felt at home where he belonged.

He quickly set the plates and rushed over to welcome his beloved at the doorsteps.

"I'm back!" Tino's smile was in full swing as he was held by the other. Light shone in his eyes and he laughed freely when he was spun around while still embracing his lover.

"Welcome back!" Berwald immediately began showering the Finn with affection, holding his hand and guiding him to the dining table where the food on top was still nice and warm. "I made yer favorite. I also bought a box of salmiakki earlier this afternoon. Ya can have that after dinner," He smiled into the loving kiss he received for his efforts. It warmed his heart and made him ecstatic whenever he pleased the other, which was every day and very often.

"Aww you spoil me, Ber!"

"Not at all. I don't spoil you enough."

The Finn was a bit chubby now from being spoiled by the Swede and fed on a regular basis. No longer did he have to worry about a raid, rationing food, or keeping guard. The weight he put on was healthy and according to his beloved, much needed and loved. His days as a pirate were far behind him now.

The public execution was a blessing in disguise.

With the Draugen's crew focused on the Reaper's imminent demise, not much attention was paid to the runaway Lion of the North. This allowed Berwald free reign over his course of action.

Upon hearing of his beloved's sentence, of course the Swede nearly lost his mind and wanted to break down and cry.

But he didn't.

He did not allow his emotions to get the better of him this time and got right to work. He simply would not allow fate to play out this way.

While stumbling along in town, he saw the disheartened rescue group sent out to help free the rifleman before the day of the public execution. Discreetly, he met up with Ludwig and Feliciano in order to carry out a plan that would save Tino – whether he wanted it or not.

At this point in the situation, getting the Reaper out before he was shot wasn't an option, but the aftermath was still up for grabs.

They would have to fake the Reaper's death.

However, this part was the hardest to pull off – someone had to make sure that they would be close enough to "kill" the Finn without actually doing so. A dramatic and flashy near-death strike would do the trick.

It just so happened that while Berwald was pondering over this that he came across the police officer who caught and turned the Reaper in that night. The young man was riddled with guilt for what he has done and expressed his desire to repent. He had found out that the two men the pirate had killed were assaulting the woman and that the Reaper was simply helping her the only way he knew how. No one told him justice was such a fickle thing and he found himself caught between his duties and personal moral values. But with the Swede's very persuasive argument, the police officer leaned in favor of sparing the Reaper from his fate. He returned to Berwald the rifleman's heirloom flintlock pistols and grim mask.

With the help from this unlikely source, Berwald was able to take on the disguise of a rifleman responsible for the Reaper's reckoning and infiltrated the firing squad with relative ease. What was one more man eager to kill the notorious pirate?

Actually looking at Tino in the face while pointing the firearm at him made him question the entire plan and nearly ruined it.

He was tested on so many levels in that moment of stillness before the official order was given, but knew he had to do it in order to guarantee their future together. And so within seconds, Berwald broke the spell cast over the town and fired the rifle prematurely in order to feign Tino's death.

It was all so very reckless, but then again, the platinum blond always had that sort of effect on him.

Firing the shot at the smiling Finn was the hardest thing he ever did in his entire life!

He had aimed at the man's chest, seemingly going for his heart but not quite. If there was one thing he learned that was tried and true, it was that one's shot had to be deadly accurate on the Reaper, or else he would get right back up. In order to get this one shot right, he would have easily traded in a thousand bottle targets.

With the rising commotion, Berwald then made a mad dash for it and slipped away from the rabid crowd. In the meantime, Feliciano and Ludwig were already making their way around the crowd and into the fields in order to retrieve Tino and ran off with him before anyone else could suspect anything. Ludwig performed one final life-saving operation on the unconscious man before handing him over to Berwald to care for and wishing them both well. To everyone's surprise, Lovino appeared before them at the very last minute, having gathered supplies and Berwald's and the Finn's belongings to give to him as a parting gift.

The first few months of recovery were slow and half of the time the blond feared his beloved would not make it. But as time continued to march on and the sun continued to rise and set in the village he sought refuge in for the both of them, another day on earth with the other seemed more and more plausible. Tino finally opened his eyes to greet Berwald and realized what the other did for him. Cleared misunderstandings and heart-felt confessions rekindled their love and made it stronger than ever before.

His execution was the perfect cover-up and opportunity to escape. With his captain and everyone else on the Draugen thinking he was dead, his ties were officially broken. He had said his goodbyes; there was no need for regrets.

Berwald and Tino wandered the land for a while through lush forests and shivering cold fronts before deciding to settle in this town where the people were friendly and the landscape picturesque. And the farther they traveled together with the seasons passing them by, the less Berwald saw of Tino's manic side until it disappeared altogether one spring, gone with the winter's melting snow.

The former rifleman became a huntsman and worked with fellow hunters and fur traders to take down big game. Due to the nature of his job, he would often come home late and at unexpected hours. But he always did, knowing that a certain blond would be waiting for him once he got back.

Berwald hated the wait before the two would see each other again. He always felt incredibly lonely during those hours and even worrisome at times, fearing something might have gone awry during an expedition. Despite knowing that the Finn was more than capable of fending for himself, his imagination ran rampant sometimes during those dark hours.

As for Tino, he sometimes hated how his job required him to stay late and make his precious wait for him. Especially on a challenging hunt when his patience ran thin, the platinum blond's mind would wander and the depressing thoughts crept up on him. What if something happened to Berwald while he was away and the Swede wasn't there when he got home? The prospect of someone swooping in and taking his beloved away in the middle of the night still frightened him dearly. How much longer could they hold onto this bliss before it came crashing down on them from cannon fire, bullets, and blades?

No, neither of them couldn't think like that. They have already gone through all that and were never returning to it again.

"So what did you make today? Did you learn something new?"

"Mhm, I can show ya later. What about you? What did ya catch?"

"Oh you should've seen it, Ber! That elk was a clever girl,"

As they sat across from each other, had their dinner and talked enthusiastically, one of their hands would always reach over and hold the other's on the table. Using the other hand to pick up their utensils to eat, they would occasionally feed each other what was on their plate despite the fact that they were both having the same thing. Gazing longingly into each other's eyes after a short pause in their conversation, their feet would playfully knock into each other's under the table before they bursted out laughing from the silliness of it all.

With some moonlight left to spare after cleaning the table and washing the dishes, they made their way into the living room and spontaneously tried to dance to the melody they heard so long ago on the ship. Tino's footwork got better…but he was still tripping and stepping on the taller man's toes with his two left feet.

"Ready?" Berwald brought them closer, looking the other over his glasses and a playful smile tugging on his lips.

"Ready."

The two performed a dip…or at least that was the idea.

"Okay, okay…oh no no no I'm slipping! Ber pull me up!"

The Swede couldn't help but giggle when he brought the smaller man close to his chest, Tino's bubbling laughter joining his and bouncing all around the walls of the quaint living room.

"Nope, I can only twirl still," the platinum blond said between chuckles.

Some things never changed - like their love for each other.

Berwald kissed the man's thin lips. "That's okay. We'll get it someday," They could always try again tomorrow, and the day after that, and even the day after that still. It wasn't as though they were going anywhere.

From time to time they would hear word of the Draugen's conquests and acts of piracy on the sea near and far from them. The captain and his brothers were still at large and the crew wanted by officials. But lately, their movements have been more discreet and peaceful.

When they were done tripping over each other, the couple headed to their bedroom where they closed the door behind them and put out the lantern for the night.

"Mmnh…"

"You're so beautiful, Ber," After removing the other's glasses and placing them onto the nightstand beside them, Tino took the time to brush off the small bits of woodchips still clinging to his beloved as he began undressing him. The other smelled like fresh-cut timber, something the Finn couldn't get enough of. He kissed the man's shoulder blade exposed to him when he pulled off his shirt. He didn't stop shedding the other garments off that beautiful body until there was only skin to marvel and worship.

"No, you are," Berwald breathed out and returned the gesture, helping his beloved out of his hunting gear.

Shirts, undergarments, trousers, and boots all fell lazily to the floor as they made their way to the small bed.

Berwald hovered over his lover on the mattress, massaging the muscles he knew were still there on the other's body, kissing up and down pale skin decorated with scars. He saw Tino close his eyes from the ministration, humming pleasantly while reaching a hand out to run his fingers through his blond hair.

"That's nice, Ber,"

The taller man slowed when his lips reached the spot near his lover's heart. A scar caused by a bullet wound joined the one made by Ivan in that area. Berwald looked at it with guilt, knowing he was the one who made this mark on his beloved. Tentatively he kissed the spot, fingers running over the marred skin apologetically.

"Don't be sad, my love," Tino's voice broke through his conscience.

He felt warm hands cup his face and bring him up to meet a pair of lips. "Tino…I'm-"

"It's all right," the Finn shushed him with another kiss. He would continue to comfort his beloved until he no longer felt guilty for what he had done. "This is nothing, I've been dealt worse. Plus, I should be the one apologizing," He offered the other a sad smile. "I made you cry so many-mmn!"

Berwald could no longer stand seeing Tino so sad and being sorry for someone like him, so he decided to break away from the guilty cycle by kissing the man senseless and reaching for the oil in the drawer of their bedside table. "I love you, Tino," With violet eyes on him, he straddled the other before coating his fingers with the slippery substance and reaching around back to prepare himself. He only got so far as parting his cheeks and getting half of his index finger inside when strong hands reached for his own and held them there.

"Let me do this for you, Ber," Tino cooed, pulling the taller man down to sit snugly on his lap. He kissed the other's ear lightly while coating his own fingers with oil and picking up where his lover left off. "I want to do this for you."

Berwald was always used to having to do everything for himself to please the customer back at the brothel. He could only trust himself to get the job done in order to prevent incurring any more injuries on his person. But he knew he was in good hands now – he was in Tino's hands. He felt safe with the other and trusted him wholeheartedly. So without a second thought, he abandoned what he was doing and instead chose to wrap his arms around the platinum blond's shoulders, burying his nose into the crook of his neck and inhaling the scent of the other's recent hunt that clung to him while mumbling words of endearment.

Tino took his beloved's trust very seriously and carefully opened him up. With Berwald still embracing him from the front, he wound a hand around the Swede's waist and slipped it down under while the other hand remained on the man's lower back, stroking the sensitive spot there reverently.

When both deemed themselves ready, Tino rolled them over gently on the small bed, staring into cyan eyes for approval. He immediately received it and proceeded to join their bodies, becoming one. Legs wrapped around his waist and he locked lips with the other man before moving.

They searched for each other's hands in the midst of their lovemaking and found it. Hand in loving hand, the wooden rings Berwald made for the both of them intertwined and clacked against their melded fingers.

"I love you," Berwald chanted between kisses, rocking into Tino so that their hips remained close.

"I love you too, my dear,"

Their smoldering bodies continued their dance on the white bed accompanied by the orchestra of pleasured voices and sweet nothings.

It was slow and romantic, the lovers taking their time and enjoying all that the other had to offer. It wasn't a mad rush for satisfaction as if it would be their last. It wasn't some frantic, animalistic urge spurred on by the ever-present premonition that their lives were in danger. No, it was love – and each of them had a lot of it to give to the other. They had time now.

"Aaah," Berwald focused on every sensation, taking everything in and appreciating it. Tino's violet eyes were magnificent as they peered into his own cyan ones, their hands squeezed tightly together to his sides. The way his beloved felt inside of him was simply amazing, stretching and filling him, completing him in every way possible. With their bodies so close, his arousal rubbed deliciously between their stomachs, adding to the stimulation. Gentle waves of pleasure built up and collected with each thrust, each kiss, each touch.

"Ber…I'm…"

"Me too…"

Both of them closed their eyes during their climax, the image of their lover's face the last thing they saw before their world went blissfully white.

When they both came back down to earth and opened their eyes, smiles and warm embraces remained.

"Hm?" Tino noticed Berwald was still clinging onto his waist, his legs refusing to let him go.

 _Stay with me…inside me…_ was the silent request.

Tino stared in complete awe at the other man. He loved Berwald so much and Berwald him that he had to constantly remind himself that this wasn't all a dream. The surrounding warmth helped in this matter.

Repositioning themselves under the blanket in preparation for sleep, they both laughed and smiled carefreely as they laid there peacefully, lips constantly seeking their missing half, limbs entangled and bodies as one.

They held the other in their arms, fingers tracing idly over scars both old and new. Violet and cyan eyes continued to look into the other, promising to see each other again the next day.

"I love you, Berwald." Tino said with a beating heart, mended mind, and living soul.

"I love you too, Tino." Berwald responded quickly and without hesitation. He meant every word with all his heart full of love, healed body, and optimistic outlook.

The Reaper and the Lion of the North were no more – there was only Tino and Berwald now.

The Swede's story was not exactly like the ones in novels or seafarers' tales, but it was his story, his future...and he wouldn't have written it out any other way.

They no longer lived the life of adventure out at sea, the ones of legends told in full saloons and bars. No, they were now humble folks living with just enough.

But that didn't matter.

All that mattered was that they were at peace, free at last, and right next to each other.


	37. The Sailor Song

**A/N:** Congratulations on making it this far until the very end! As a gift, I would like to give you this extra epilogue featuring something I always thought of including while writing this story - a dominating, cocky, swashbuckling pirate Tino ;) Don't worry, all of it is entirely consensual and they're just being kinky and role-playing (although not really since they _were_ technically pirates for a time...lol!). Anyway, I hope you will all enjoy this, because I had way too much fun writing this little chapter~

 **Song Title: The Sailor Song** by **Toy-Box**

* * *

Berwald woke up on an empty bed bathed in moonlight from the window next to him in the empty room. Everything far was blurry to him, his glasses disappearing somewhere he didn't know.

 _What…?_

 **Bam!**

"What's this then? A stowaway?" A crude figure barged into the room, having kicked the wooden door open with his boot.

The violent sound brought Berwald out of his reverie and he whipped his head around, the intruder coming into focus.

The pirate had a skull for a face and wore a black long coat with its tail end tattered, nearly ghosting over the floor as he made his way towards the man on the bed. The coat hardly concealed the bare torso underneath, revealing skin adorned with scars that the man wore proudly. The only other articles of clothing making the ruffian decent were his black bicorn with its white feathers, black and tan striped trousers, and tan leather boots.

Berwald shivered from the feeling of eyes through black sockets gazing at him ravenously and the cocky smirk surely beneath the mask sent his way. It froze him on the spot and refused to let him go. He had to turn his face away from the platinum blond standing only a foot away from the edge of the bed.

Upon removing his mask and letting it drop carelessly onto the floor, the man said "I heard from my men that a rat snuck onto the ship. Tell me, were ya trying to steal somethin' from us? Hmm?"

"…"

The man only chuckled darkly at the taller blond's silent treatment and added lowly "You should know better than to take something from a pirate."

Berwald continued to hold his tongue and refused to look up to the arrogant voice above him, glaring at the bed sheets instead. However, he couldn't keep this up for long when a hand roughly grabbed his chin and forced his head up to meet the other's face only a few inches apart from his own. An undignified yelp escaped his lips.

"Yer the quiet type, aren't ya?" The pirate smirked, licking his lips salaciously at his new captive. "I bet I can change that soon enough,"

"Don't touch me," he growled out, glaring daggers at the man holding him here with blazing cyan eyes.

"Oh my, what lovely eyes you have! Like the finest gems…they'll make a great addition to my collection," the platinum blond said smoothly, completely unfazed by Berwald's threat. Out of the blue he ran his tongue over those pursed lips before releasing his grip on the other's handsome face. "They call me the Reaper. But if ya need a name to scream out, you can call me your captain," the man finally introduced himself.

Indignantly Berwald threw a left fist at the other, wanting to wipe that cheeky grin right off his face.

But the Reaper caught the fist easily by the wrist, staring at the wooden ring on his finger. "And what do we have here?" he asked, even though the pirate had a similar item on his right hand. Violet eyes twinkled devilishly as he commented "Got yerself a sweetheart, do ya?"

The Swede sucked in a breath when he felt the other's velvet tongue lick the top of his hand, across the knuckles and eventually over the ring finger itself, suckling the jewelry there. Amethyst eyes dark with lust were on him the whole time. He swallowed thickly.

"How quaint,"

"Let go…" he said weakly. But Berwald had nothing to back up his words as his body stiffened and his breath hitched when the Reaper swooped in and pushed him down onto the soft bed. The strong hand still around his wrist pinned him onto his back.

"I'll make you forget about her,"

"Aahh…!" The hapless captive squirmed when a hot tongue traveled up and down his throat.

"After tonight, you won't wanna leave."

Berwald found himself caving into the pleasure at a shameful rate, head subconsciously turned to its side to give his captor more access to his taut neck. The scent of blood, gunpowder and death from the pirate was heightening his arousal, sending chills down his spine. His stoic composure crumbled little by little, lick by tantalizingly slow lick. His eyes slipped closed and his strength left him. He didn't even know when the pirate had snaked his way in between his legs and began rutting against him.

"Hmm hmm, seems as though you can talk after all," the Reaper teased when he heard the small whimpers escaping from his new toy. "Let's see what other kinds of sounds ya can make,"

"Wha-!" The Swede's vision spun as he was forcibly flipped over onto his stomach, his head pushed down into the mattress and rear lifted up at just the right angle and height. Agile hands made quick work of his trousers and they were off and on the floor by the time he ceased his struggles on the bed.

The pirate grinned at his captive's futile attempts to escape his clutches, his ungloved hands brazenly traveling up and down those toned thighs in front of him, feeling them shudder under his touch. "Yer a feisty one, aren't ya?"

"Mmn!" He was forced onto his knees, his chest and arms resting on the twisted sheets.

"How exciting,"

Still splayed on the mattress, Berwald's body went rigid the moment he felt slender hands part his cheeks and a hot breath ghost over his exposed entrance. "Ah!"

"Oh my, yer so sweet down here," The Finn didn't waste any time ravishing the other, widening his tongue to lick over the entire puckered hole, relishing in how it twitched achingly against him. He pressed his face further into his captive, hands on either side to keep the body in front of him still as he lapped up his meal.

"Nngh…ahhh," Berwald screwed his eyes shut, hands bunching into the sheets as he was completely pleasured from behind. The sinful tongue slurping and circling around his wet entrance made his head spin and it was getting harder to breathe. There was no point in resisting the pirate.

"Hm? It's gotten soft," The Reaper playfully swiped a finger across the ring of muscle. His plaything has become less tense with each fervent lick. Wickedly he smirked and reached a hand around to the blond's front, toying with the clearly erect cock slick with precum there. "And it's gotten hard here…good, good,"

"Hgn!"

"I want more."

Berwald nearly choked on a moan when he felt a finger delve into him, pushing into his tight channel before it was replaced with a wet muscle thrusting in and out of him. The tongue rubbed deliciously against his inner walls and he could feel himself clamp onto it desperately.

"That's it, sing for me, my pet," the pirate purred before going back down and alternating between applying pressure on the twitching hole and tracing patterns around it. All the same it produced the sweetest sounds from the man in front of him, his toned buttocks clenching greedily around him and hips wiggling provocatively. "So lewd…" The Reaper finally had his fill and was ready to move on to the main course.

Berwald, already light-headed from the stimulation, wasn't quite ready when fingers stretched and scissored inside him, making him bite back a whimper. When he finally had time to get his bearings, a weight pressed up against his back and a hot breath caressed his sensitive ear.

Leaning forward, the Finn extracted his fingers and instead pulled down his trousers just low enough to guide his entire length into that delicious heat in one thrust.

"Yah!" Instinctively the taller man widened his stance and spread his legs out for balance, cursing his needy body when it hungrily swallowed the pirate's cock into its aching hole.

"Such a good boy…I gotta reward you for this," The captain began moving when he deemed his captive ready – the silent giant wasn't making this easy for him…just how he liked it. His hands came up and gripped the larger man's hips tightly in order to pull him in closer, the force sure to bruise that beautiful skin later.

Try as he might to keep his voice down, it was only a matter of time before the pirate captain found his prostate and abused it to no end. He had no choice but to raise his head up from the mattress to breathe, the other's violent thrusts knocking the wind out of him each time in the form of a moan. However, even that was denied to him as a hand roughly shoved his face back down into the bed, muffling his wails. Saliva spilled from his open mouth, pooling into a small spot on the clean sheets. "AH!" Teeth sunk into the tender flesh of his neck from behind.

"Feels good, don't it?"

 _So good!_

The pirate knew how to make him scream and it just wasn't fair!

Already near the edge from when the captain had his way with him with his tongue, it wasn't long before Berwald's world went white and he came without taking the other man with him. As his orgasm ripped through his entire body, he further buried his face and bit into the sheets beneath him, refusing to let the Reaper hear him cry out in pleasure.

"Aww done already?" the pirate cooed when he saw his toy empty himself onto the bed. "That simply won't do."

"Mmngh!" Berwald was confused when the other pulled out of him harshly, leaving him gaping and empty; but he would never admit that he wanted his captor to keep fucking him.

"Come over here,"

Still catching his breath, the spent man found himself dragged off the warm bed and onto the cold wooden floor by his blond hair.

"We're not finished yet." The Finn made himself comfortable and sat on the edge of the bed.

Now on his knees, Berwald barely had time to glare into bright amethyst eyes before a hand came up from behind his head and brought him down onto the other's length.

"Suck." The captain commanded, his hand forcing the Swede's mouth over and down his cock before the other took the initiative and moved on his own. It surprised him how compliant his captive was being, tongue running over the underside of his length, paying extra attention and care to the head. "Yes…that's it, my pet," he encouraged when the other sucked particularly hard on a sensitive spot. Sliding a hand under the blond's throat, he felt the Adam's apple there moving as well as the girth of his own cock protruding against that stretched throat.

Berwald couldn't help moaning around the cock inside his mouth, eyes hooded as he savored the taste of the pirate captain.

 _It tastes so good…_

He became lost in the feeling of the other shallowly thrusting inside his throat, the sensation and squelching sounds exciting him.

The Reaper was thoroughly pleased with the show and treatment he was receiving. The larger male was nestled nicely between his legs, kneeled in front of him, swallowing his cock all the way to the hilt. He groaned each time that head full of magnificent blond hair bobbed up and down, his length sliding in and out of that hot and wet cavern, pushing all the way to the back of his captive's throat where it squeezed and tightened around him. His plaything looked as though he was enjoying this as well, evident in his growing arousal between his parted legs.

"Mmph!" Berwald's eyes popped open from their hooded trance and his breathing grew uneven when he felt the pirate push the sole of his boot against his partially hard cock, rubbing him while he sucked. He was losing focus, the coil in his stomach winding itself up again. His body and particularly his entrance twitched, itching for more.

"That's enough," The Finn was getting close, but wasn't quite there yet. Wanting to play with his possession a little more, he abruptly pulled out of that tempting mouth with its skilled tongue and instead flopped the larger male onto the bed again on his back.

"Mmh, wha-" Violet eyes shining in the moonlight hovered above him. Berwald violently threw his head back and let out a wail when the Reaper entered him again, his loosened ring of muscle readily sucking the large length back inside. Without thinking his arms shot up and wound themselves around the platinum blond's neck, pulling the pirate into a crushing kiss.

The captain smirked into the lip-lock, quickly dominating it, insatiable tongue sweeping and possessing the captive's mouth and claiming it as his own. When they finally broke apart for air, he looked down arrogantly at his prey and said "How cute, you want a kiss, do ya?" Gruffly he pecked those swollen lips. "However, I prefer to bite," he teased and cordially proceeded to lay claim to his prize by sinking his teeth into the flesh in front of him. Hungrily his mouth marked the man moaning beneath him before he started moving inside him again.

"Guh!" Berwald couldn't move away from the sadistic pirate, each of his wrists pinned above his head in an iron grip by the other. It kept him pressed up against the bed no matter how hard he tried. But at this point he didn't want to get up anymore, writhing on the mattress and trying to push himself against the Finn as hard as possible to bring them as close as physically possible. He wanted the Reaper deeper inside him…faster and harder. Whimpers turned into wanton moans that echoed nicely inside the small room alongside the violent creaks of the bed.

The pirate knew he had found that tender spot inside his prey when the larger man arched his back at a nearly painful angle and let out the loveliest scream for him to hear. The other's inner walls clenched even tighter around him and he smirked. "Are you feeling that good? Yer so much cuter when you're like this…now moan some more for me, my pretty. I wanna hear you scream!"

Berwald did just that from a perfectly-aimed thrust into his prostate. He was losing his mind to the pleasure as he was pounded into the mattress. His body belonged to the pirate, bending and bucking to his will and it all felt so good. "Yes, yes, yes! Ahhh…!"

The Finn licked his lips upon seeing the other's face lost in pleasure, hazy cyan eyes once so ferocious now submissive and tearing up with need. The sculpted body beneath him quivered erotically on the bed, skin flushed and asking to be marked. But he bet he could take it even further…

The immense pleasure was mounting tremendously within the Swede and he was so close. But then suddenly…"Ah?"

It was no more…robbed from him.

 _No!_

Denying his captive release, the pirate captain slowed in his furious pace until they were only shallow thrusts.

Immediately Berwald whined his protest, his body and mind too far gone to care how this reflected on his pride, dignity, and self-worth. Thrashing about got him nowhere because of the hands still binding his wrists and restraining him.

"Is something the matter?" the Reaper asked innocently, even though he damn-well knew he was the reason for the other's distress and frustration. Intentionally he missed the man's sweet spot over and over again, reveling in the way his captive's face twisted with want.

"Please, captain…I…" Berwald spoke out when the other almost stopped moving altogether, nearly pulling out of him.

"Hm? What was that, my precious?" When the pirate thrusted back in, he did so slowly and rubbed tantalizingly close to that sensitive bundle of nerves, but never quite reaching it.

It drove Berwald mad.

"Tell me what you want,"

"I…I want…I need…"

"Yes?"

The captive looked straight into roguish violet eyes before yelling "I need you, captain!"

But the Reaper wasn't done teasing him just yet and had no intention of letting him off that easy. "Where? Here?" He pushed in deep, so deep but not deep enough. The needy whine coming from the other nearly drove him over the edge.

Berwald was so close…His neglected cock throbbed desperately with want as did his entrance. He needed the other to complete him so badly! His entire body ached for it and dripped out of every pore.

 _Oh gods, I wanna come! Please!_

With the last of his pride and self-restraint foregone in favor of pure pleasure, he screamed and begged "YES! Please, please, please! Fuck me, captain! Oh gods, PLEASE!"

The pirate's smirk only grew wider, nearly animalistic. That was exactly what he wanted to hear. "You'll have to work for it."

The Swede didn't understand what the other meant until the hands holding him down were now pulling him up and their positions switched – Berwald now sitting on top of the platinum blond on the bed. As soon as his pleasure-fogged mind got the message, his body got right to riding the other. His arms flew back and hands held onto each of the pirate's legs for leverage, repeatedly impaling himself onto that delicious cock at a grueling pace.

 _Yes…He's so big like this…ah!_

Purring out his encouragements, the cruel captain forced his captive's legs wide open. Violet eyes greedily drank in the image of the other straddling him, tongue lolling out from his mouth with saliva dribbling down the side of it and desperately seeking satisfaction.

"Haa…haa…captain!" Moans and the other's name tumbled freely from his slack mouth while he tried to angle his hips so that he could- "Ah…AHHHH!"

"Oh, that's a nice expression…lemme see more," The pirate held onto the larger man's hip with one hand, guiding him to that spot that sent him into a state of ecstasy while the other hand reached up to play with the hard nipples and cock presented to him. He decided to be a bit merciful and meet his captive halfway, bucking into the tight heat above him.

"Yes! Oh captain, my captain!"

"Come for me, my pet."

Upon command Berwald screamed as he came hard, some of his seed landing on his neck and stomach. His eyes nearly rolled back into his head when he felt his captain fill him up to the brim with his essence. "I love you, captain." The words came out as a whisper before he collapsed onto the other's chest and into awaiting arms.

"Of course you do, my precious."

A shared silence lapsed between the two in the small bedroom as they each caught their breaths. The moon outside continued to shed its silver light onto the two bodies on the bed.

"Are you all right, Ber?" Tino grew concerned when his beloved wasn't moving on top of him. Did he go overboard with this?

"Mmnh, better than all right," Berwald moaned out, keeping himself flushed against his lover's body and inhaling the heady smell of sex, blood, and gunpowder that clung to the Finn and his coat. When he found the strength to do so, the blond lifted his head up from the crook of Tino's neck and kissed the man on the lips. "That was amazing, Tino." His body was still thrumming with pleasure from the powerful orgasm. He smiled giddily when he felt the chest beneath him rumble with laughter.

"I'm glad." Thin lips kissed the larger blond's sweaty scalp, arms wound snugly around the warm body on top of him. Admittedly, he also enjoyed every bit of it himself.

The whole idea came about one evening over dinner when they were reminiscing on the past and the Swede mentioned that one time when Tino aggressively and completely dominated him on the ship. It was a subtle request, but one the Finn jumped on the moment he heard it leave his beloved's mouth. He would do anything to make Berwald happy, and this was no exception albeit surprising coming from the quiet man. But all the same the ex-pirate donned his mask and black coat once more, both of them comfortable with this part of their past now to speak about it freely.

"There isn't going to be a hunt tomorrow,"

Berwald grew excited at the words. Tomorrow was his day off.

After some time working under the woodsmith, Berwald finally found the courage to ask the old man if he could be spared a day or two off once in a while to take care of one thing or other. Usually it was to help with buying groceries and supplies and keeping the cabin tidy. The kind old man gladly granted his request, his eyes still sharp and noticing the ring on his apprentice's finger. He had an idea why Berwald would want a day off to spend time with his lover. He was still young after all. When asked about his "wife," Berwald's features would soften and he would describe her as someone who was kind, caring, and patient, but wild as the tempest sea and deathly beautiful.

As for Tino, he tried to narrow himself to more important or challenging hunts. It was a goal to keep the number of expeditions to a minimum and the duration of each one short. The other hunters understood easily enough. Sometimes when they were out sitting in a bush and stalking their prey, some curious members would look at Tino's right hand and wonder who the lucky girl was waiting for him to come home. Their top huntsman often stared at the wooden ring during particularly long nights, admiring its smooth, polished, and waxed surface and running a finger over its intricate carvings along the band of the ring. In response to their inquiry, the Finn would grin from ear to ear and happily reply that his wife was a gentle giant and exceptionally talented in whatever she did; her actions spoke louder than her words and she means well. She was the sweetest thing across the seven seas but if angered, she was as fierce as a lion.

The couple had finally found a healthy balance for everything in their lives.

"Was there anything in particular you wanted to do tomorrow?" Tino idly stroked his beloved's strong back and occasionally carded through his blond hair. The other didn't look like he was getting off him anytime soon, seeing as though the spoiled man was making himself very comfortable against his soft chest – just like how Tino wanted him to be.

"Mmh…" Berwald hummed in thought. There were so many things and yet nothing at all that came to mind – as long as Tino was by his side. But then a wave of nostalgia hit him and something came to him…an old fantasy and wishful thought he had a while back. It was something he missed doing with the Finn and knew he would never get tired of. "Maybe…can we walk along the shoreline again like we used to n' watch the sunset?"

Tino smiled brightly at the suggestion. "Of course we can!" he beamed, holding the man even tighter in his arms. It was so romantic…so Berwald. "And before that I'll nurse you right back to health," He was met with a tender kiss and cyan eyes peering adoringly at him.

"I'd like that. I love you, Tino."

"And I you, Berwald."

Just the thought of being able to spend more time together made the both of them laugh and smile.

"Hmm, you're my greatest treasure, you know that, Ber?" Tino sighed dreamily. He felt the other purr against his chest. "Always have been and always will be."

They were both getting sleepy...looks like this was the position they were going to hold until the sun streamed through their window. Not that either of them minded.

Berwald allowed himself the luxury of being held by his beloved, lulling to the sound of his voice and knowing that he would wake up to bright, soft and loving violet eyes in the morning. Before sleep took them both he uttered "And I'll always be yours, Tino, to have and to hold."

* * *

 **Endnotes:** To all of you who stuck with me to the very end, thank you so, so much for all the love and support you have shown me throughout this whole story. And to those who reviewed, I want to especially give you my thanks for voicing and sharing your opinions and thoughts with me throughout it all; I cherish each and every one of them and you all have no idea how happy and motivated it makes me! Honestly, you are all the best, most beautiful and amazing people and it has been an amazing journey with you all! I truly am honored to have been able to write this all for you. I seriously thought I was going to fall flat on my face with this but you guys have proven me wrong! I'm so glad to know there are those who enjoyed this; it warms my heart really and remember, if these two can make it and find love and happiness, then so can you! I wish everyone here all the best and to take care of themselves! This fic is easily the longest story I've ever written and after being away and not writing at all for so long I feared-

 **Mathias:** Avast ye matey! The story's ain't over yet!

 **Author:** Whu?

 **Lukas:** You're still missing one important thing…

 **Author:** And what would that be?

 **Emil:** A good old-fashioned pirate song, duh.

 **Author:** No, absolutely not! Not in my house.

 **Peter:** Aww c'mon, please?

 **Author:** No.

 **Erland:** You're lame!

 **Lukas:** You leave us no choice then… ***looks over at Emil and nods***

 **Emil: *pulls out saxophone*** I hope you like this meme instead.

 **Author:** Oh no…

 **Emil: *plays the first few notes of "We Are Number One" by Lazy Town***

 **Author:** Stop it…

 **Mathias:** Here we go!

 **Emil: *saxophone intensifies***

 **Author:** Okay, fine you win! Just…get this over with already and end my miserable life…

 **Tino:** Oh author, don't think like a deadman!

 **Berwald:** We love ya.

 **Author:** Oh you only talk when it's convenient for you eh-

 **North Sea King: *shoves author aside*** Are ya ready kids?!

 **Everyone except the author:** Aye aye captain!

 **North Sea King:** I can't hear youuuuu!

 **Everyone including supporting cast both supposedly dead and alive:** AYE AYE CAPTAIN!

 ***You Are a Pirate by Lazy Town/Alestorm plays***

 **North Sea King:** Ohhhhh ***takes deep breath*** Do what you want 'cause a pirate is free!

 **Everybody:** You are a pirate!

 **North Sea King:** Yar har deedle di dee

 **Nyk:** Being a pirate is all right with me

 **Deacon of Dark River:** Do what you want 'cause a pirate is free

 **Peter and Erland:** You are a pirate!

 **Lion of the North:** Yo ho ahoy and avast

 **Reaper:** Being a pirate is really badass!

 **Ludwig, Feliciano and Lovino:** Hang the black flag at the end of the mast!

 **All Nordic Ghost Pirates:** You are a pirate!

 **Ivan the Terrible:** We're sailing away, yes?

 **Siren of the Deep (Katyusha):** Adventure awaits on every shore!

 **Queen of Blades (Natalya): *grumbles*** We set sail and explore...

 **Eduard, Toris, and Raivis:** And run and jump all day!

 **Members of the Red Fraction, Rose Pink,** **Conquistador, and Fleur-de-Lis** **:** Yar-har!

 **Lone Star (Alfred):** We float on our boat, partner! ***shoots up at the sky***

 **Captain Kirkland:** Until it's time to drop the anchor, git!

 **Vash the Bounty Hunter and his sister Lily:** Then we hang up our coats

 **Members of the Sleeping Dragon:** Until it's time to sail again! ***throws fire crackers everywhere***

 ***rum being passed around, guns and cannons firing in the background***

 **Author:** Jesus!

 **North Sea King:** Laaaand hoooo!

 **Everybody: *sings chorus*** Blue sky above and blue ocean below

 **Tino and Berwald:** You are a pirate!

 **Author: *shoves everyone off and points at them*** Fine, you are a pirate, ya gobshite!

Thank you everybody for all the support and so long! Take care and enjoy the rest of your day or evening!


End file.
